Time To Write

 Here we are again. The last few years have been....whew. I don't even have words to describe them. I stopped doing a lot, as did everyone, the last couple of years to only concentrate on my work, and my family. I had so many personal and professional changes happen I completely lost myself in the noise. 

Not anymore. 

Now. I write. I start using this space again, because I realized in the last 2+ years I gave up all the creative outlets I once had. I let fear and anxiety creep in and I slowly got less and less happy. Then I remembered and realized as I have so many times before. You choose to be happy. It's a choice. Even when things are hard, you can choose to be happy. Please don't get me wrong it is easier at some times than others, but since it doesn't look like things in education as a whole are going to get any easier for a while, it's time to get to work. It's time to be creative, and live life to the fullest. 

And write. 

It's time to pick this creative outlet up again. But, this time, for myself. That's it. To cut through the noise a little bit. Because gravy, social media and blogs, and all the things have turned into a world of educational consultants. Who are no longer teaching. And haven't been for more years than I can count. It's time for teachers to put themselves back into the spotlight a little bit. Teachers that are nurturing these young people everyday, and getting zero credit. Teachers that don't believe in themselves anymore because the consultant noise is so loud, and so long, and everywhere because they don't have anything else to do except post all of their 'knowledge' on social media. There are so many "new ideas" floating around in your face and it can make you feel so inadequate. Friends, that's not teaching. And, let me save you some time. These are mostly recycled ideas with new names, and some with the same name. Take a breath.  So I encourage you to be the teacher that takes a step. Shares the things. We need each other now. We need NEW ideas. No one else knows what teaching is in this moment.  They don't know what kids are responding to right now or how they are responding to things. There are no better teachers than us. It is not a mistake that we learn more from one hour in our teammates classroom than in 60+ hours of PD. It's time to let people back into our classrooms, even via social media. Even, especially when it's not flashy. Those are the things we need right now. Those teachers are out there. Find them. Be them. Work with them. 

So that's what I'm doing, and I am starting by writing. Getting rid of the noise. And believing in my own ideas again. While this space may look different soon-ish, because none of this is either in style or my taste anymore. The words and sentiments here will be the same. It's time to get to work. Let's do this.