Skip to main content

TFA- Day 2

Well, today was a huge improvement over yesterday. At least emotionally. It's beginning to sink in. This is my life. I live in Mississippi now. I will be teaching these kids and getting involved in this community. The more Corps Members I meet, the more excited I get. This really is a chance of a lifetime.

Today may have been less emotional. But it was just as exhausting. Starting at 8am, we were in sessions, all day long (including during lunch). These large and small group sessions focused on the work that we will be doing here in the Delta and how it relates to race and class inequality, especially when these inequalities are structural. They are embedded into our school systems and communities. As uncomfortable as they are for me (a middle-class, white, college graduate) to talk about, these are very real problems that my students face. 

The fact of the matter is; there are wonderful kids caught in awful systems. It's my responsibility as a TFA Corps Member to make sure my kids know that, even though these very real obstacles exist for them, there can be no excuses for anything less than excellence. Because good isn't good enough. We have to be excellent. Good doesn't graduate high school- excellent does. Good doesn't go to college- excellent does. Good doesn't achieve dreams- excellent does. No matter what the systems have told them, no matter what the world has told them, they are capable of excellence. So, that is what's to be expected. 

I won't see the change in two years. I may not even see the change in my lifetime- because the problems are so huge. But, if I can help take things just one step from where they are to where they should be, all the hard work is completely worth it. It's not going to be easy. But, I'm blessed to be a TFA Corps member because although it will be hard, I won't be doing it alone.

Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. 
Ecclesiastes 9:10


Comments

  1. Tori OlmsteadJune 5, 2014 at 6:56 PM

    The Sociologist in me LOVES that the Sociologist in you is shining in this post!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

There's No Place Like Home

Turns out, I'm a much better Kindergarten Teacher than I am a blogger. In the big picture, that's not such a terrible thing, I suppose. It is my Almost-Mid-Year Resolution to get better at this. New Year Resolutions almost never work. We'll see how this goes, though! I keep finding myself reflecting on the fact that the school year is almost over. I'm sorry...where did the time go?!? It feels like just yesterday I was driving to Delta State University to start my summer training and here I am, almost ready to close out my first year of teaching. We're in the home stretch, but we've still got a lot to do before June 2nd. But, man! We've come along way! My kids who came in not knowing how to hold a pencil are writing beautiful, creative stories. Those who didn't know any letters and sounds, now reading sentences and short stories! I've yet to see, in my short 25 years, anything as cool as this...as my students learning (part of the coolness is that I...
Post a Comment
Read more

Whole30 Update: This isn't fun anymore

Hey people! I hope your Monday isn't feeling so much like a Monday today! I started this post last night. I wish I would have finished and posted it then because I was feeling pretty good. Today, however I'm feeling pretty poopy. Mentally, I'm past the point of excitement and I'm on to the "this isn't really fun anymore" part. Physically, I go back and forth between feeling lousy and just weird. See more details below on the craziness that a sugar detox does to you. But, the good news is, I'm more than 1/10th of the way through my 30 Days (Today is Day 5). I've learned a few things to share with you guys: 1. Sugar is in everything! EVERY. THING. I couldn't find a breakfast sausage or bacon that didn't have sugar in it. And it was almost impossible to find a spaghetti sauce. Prego Simply is a good option, but my grocery store was out. I did find a Whole30 compliant sauce in the health food section. 2. Sugar detox does some weird stuff...
Post a Comment
Read more

The First Week of School!

The First Day of School (the whole first week, really) was somewhat of a blur. It flew by so quickly! I don't remember much of my week. I do remember that I love my job and my school! I also remember that I got and survived my first back-to-school cold as a teacher (my kids are amazing, but germy). This week flew by so fast, I can only imagine how fast this year is going to go. Before I know it, my precious little Kindergarten babies will be ready for First Grade. It's a reminder to cherish all my moments with them...even the ones when they make me want to pull my hair out. I walked into Quitman County Elementary School Monday morning bright and early at 6:30am. I was full of energy and nerves, completely unsure what was going to be walking through my door an hour later. Were they going to be excited to be at school? Terrified? Were there going to be criers? And then they arrived. A group of 16 little humans, all with their own personalities. Some were excited to be there, so...
Post a Comment
Read more