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Saturday, January 21, 2017

JOIN: Celebrating the Women's March



Every Saturday, join me as I CELEBRATE This Week 
with Ruth Ayres from Discover. Play. Build.


I won't be in Chicago marching with so many others in the Women's March today and it breaks my heart. 

But, in less than two hours, I'll be at school with third through eighth graders. Today is the first day of our Saturday enrichment programs and I'm teaching three sessions: Telling Your Story as a Graphic Novel, Vocabulary Fiesta: An Introduction to Spanish, and Silly Videos. As a technology integration specialist, I get to work in schools with teachers and students but I don't have my own students any more. Teaching these three mini-courses is super exciting because I get to teach again. 

So even though I won't be with friends downtown, I'm celebrating that I can still stand for the cause in teaching my classes. 

I'm a working mom. 
My kids know I'm teaching these Saturday classes.
One of my sons is in my classes and will see my excitement and enthusiasm. 
He'll see me alive and passionate.
They'll both see the work I do today. 

The kids I teach today will experience and learn something new.

My courses will inspire 
creativity, 
critical thinking, 
collaboration, 
and communication.

Kids will be 
drawing and dancing and singing
laughing and having fun as we learn. 

But more than anything, I hope they'll be engaged learners. 
Kids are our future.

I won't be at the Women's March.
But I will be making an impact in another way. 

Thank you to everyone who is marching, in Chicago or anywhere else. 
I wish I could be there but even though I'm not, I'm with you. 

14 comments:

  1. Jen, your enthusiasm for life and learning is showing through your words today. Your courses sound like so much fun so enjoy every bit of life as you begin your Saturday morning classes.

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    1. Thank you, Carol! Your words are so kind and appreciated. It was a great morning!

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  2. You have a better excuse than I do for not going to the Women's March. Good luck with this day. Sounds so fun and satisfying!

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    1. It was very fun and so exciting to share the morning with kids. :)

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  3. This sounds like an exciting day! I won't be at the march either, but I'm sending support to all my sisters marching today.

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  4. YES. I was talking about this with some librarian colleagues last night, and talking about how educators are in such an incredible position to inspire a desire for equality, deep wells of empathy, and a passion for social justice in young people, every single day. You have a powerful role to play, and you're making a difference!

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    1. I've thought about that a lot too...how lucky I am to work in education. I feel like it all starts in schools. If we can give kids as much as we can and help them learn to be learners, we can make a difference.

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  5. I love that your son is in your class. I am sure you will both enjoy this experience a lot!

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    1. It was great! The kids have to be in 3rd grade for my classes so my littlest was sad he couldn't join in...but he will eventually. It's so fun!

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  6. Your day sounds fabulous! And yes, you are making an important contribution and teaching important lessons.

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    1. Thank you! I appreciate the acknowledgement. The kids were excited and it was a great morning.

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  7. I imagine it was a marvelous day, Jen, and am sure you were with the marchers in spirit. I stayed with the grand-girls while my daughter and her group marched. We watched and cheered!

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    1. That's so neat! I loved seeing all the pictures and videos from around the world. It's very uplifting for sure. :)

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