Pottsgrove Peeps

The past week has had a lot of good byes. Many have been really hard. So as I transition to a new job, I have taken time to take stock of all I have learned over the past five plus years.  (This, to be perfectly honest, is my big cope.)

While here, I have learned that.... ( in no particular order)

educators work really hard 

many kids have difficult lives 

performance art is not loved by all, but everyone participates because they want to be cool :)

holding the hand of someone going through something terrible is sometimes the best thing to do 

many of the people doing the very best work shun the spotlight, they just work hard and get stuff done, never forgetting that the kids are why we do what we do- I see you! 

ladders and heels don't mix 

( seriously there are rules about this and also about using chairs as ladders- who knew?)

IEP Online can be painful

lunches on Friday are special

honest conversations are sometimes no fun, but necessary

make it a game and you will be so happy to see who plays

no one (not the wee one nor the grown) wakes up in the morning and hopes that today will be the day that they will fail, that they will  disappoint, or that they will be less than what everyone hopes

adults are often a whole lot of no fun, but everyone likes to get a surprise!

small wins count 

taking yourself too seriously is silly- there will always be someone smarter or more dedicated

a kind word makes a difference

seeing the potential and speaking it out loud changes things

having amazing people around you makes the day amazing (even when it appears to be not amazing)

people who love you will put up with a lot of nonsense ( performance art, one million things lost, pedometer challenges, garish decor, consistent lateness, interesting food tastings and the occasional curse word are just a few examples)

sparkle really is my favorite color

the following things really suck- accidents, cancer, child abuse, drug addiction, really mean people, and a bunch of other real life stuff

volunteers are sometimes the difference between its going to happen and its totally not going to happen (thank you volunteers!)

ESY is super fun

I can do more than I thought I could- but I am not the person you want in charge in a real emergency (I scare easily and I hate anything that may or may not be blood)

nicknames can be funny

choose your seat carefully in meetings

those who are under the willow tree love that they are under the willow tree and will always meet me there

sometimes you need to help people learn how to hug, sometimes you need to learn to keep your cards close

real friends will tell you when you have something in your teeth, your hair, or your nose

telling people you love them is important

budgets are real

there is a difference between hearing and listening

community counts

sometimes the toughest lessons are the ones I need to learn the most

____________________

I am a luckie luckie girl. All along my life's path, I seem to find the very best people.  I know I have found many of them here. 

Thank you for teaching me to be a better person and educator.  I will miss you. I wish each of you all the best- being here was an everyday blessing to me.