Welcome Back to School

I missed you too. 

The take away. 

What did I learn from all of this, the education bill, the walk out, and #redfored. 

We were offered a 1% raise next year with an increase in our state retirement contributions to go up 2%. The time had come where teachers had finally had enough. I had enough. I was tired of children and teachers being swept under the rug. I was tired of teachers not being accredited to teach. I was tired of large class sizes and buying supplies for my classroom each week. I was tired from working my second job after a fifty hour work week. 

And so.

It turned out I wasn’t the only one. It started with one voice. The power of one and grew into 100,000 voices gathered together unified for education improvement at the Arizona State Capitol. And it was amazing. 

After all of this, we saw the largest increase in funds for education in over ten years but there was more. 

I learned that teachers are the kindest, nicest, most selfless group of people. I learned about the people I work with for the first time as I was able to talk to them. I was able to get to know them and bond with them. I learned that there are really good people in the world who love children and value the GIFT of free education. 

I also learned that:

People are mean. Really mean especially on social media. 

People are entitled and feel like everything is owed to them and should just be handed to them no matter what the cost is to others. 

I learned that hard work and gratitude go a long way. 

I learned that government is powerful and so are the people. 

I learned that the people who hide behind their computer screens might have the loudest voice but lack action. Action is what actually makes change. 

It is hard work to be a activist! We were up earlier and home later everyday, we were hot, and hungry and thirsty as we unpacked our homemade sack lunches and water bottles. 

I learned that we all have a choice of who to vote for and elections have consequences.

I learned that everyone, EVERYONE has an agenda. 

I learned I MUST be educated on the issues and vote…did you know that a bill was passed today that anyone with a GED can substitute teach? ANYONE. This is NOT OK. 

I learned that voting solely on party lines is not smart. 

I learned that free education is such a gift…..ESPECIALLY after I read Abraham Lincoln’s story to my class and his great desire to have an education. His fight to offer free public education to everyone and  his love of learning is inspiring. 

I learned that people are so kind and thoughtful. 

Some are genuinely thoughtful and some are kind to your face and talk poorly about you behind your back. 

I learned that the exhaustion I felt from my career was NOT normal after a few days off in a row and committed myself to take care of myself. 

I also learned that I missed my littles terribly and was SO happy to go back. That the feeling of returning to my classroom was that of PURE joy. 

I love my job. 

There was a time in my life that my voice went quiet and it has taken quite a lot of work to find it again, this was a chance for me to use my voice and be heard. For me this is not always easy but this was an issue that was important to me and I felt brave. 

You can be courageous and afraid at the same time. 

Some legislators are kind and some are JERKS….just like people in real life. 

It’s funny how everyone has an opinion of how schools and classrooms should be run without ever stepping into one as a teacher and professional. It’s weird and wrong it just shows how uneducated many are about education. 

I also learned and believe more than ever that if Charter Schools are publicly funded they should be held to the VERY SAME standards of public schools. That goes for budgets, spending, and teacher salaries. I think choices are good but I also believe that transparency needs to happen JUST like public schools. 

In the end all of the change we hoped for did not happen. For the first time in a long time there was forward movement in education funding and for once I didn’t bury my head in the sand over it. For me this was the biggest lesson. 

Love others, Be Kind, Be Brave, Fight the good fight XOXO- The Sunny D