Morning Ponders

Every morning I drive past Lawrence Central High School. Every morning it makes me green jealousy. I could be at a school where all I deal with is students wanting to be TOO involved with band or getting an administrator's signature on a BOA form, or getting ready for concert band contest.

I go to school every morning wondering if the kids will sit still long enough for me to get through the first 5 names on the attendance sheet, and participate in clapping rhythms on the board, or doing in class work. I wonder how many kids will actually pass choir. I wonder how many fights I'll break up that day, and dread my 5th period class. I deal with kids from broken families and kids that don't know how to come to school to learn.

But every morning I still show up at school, ready to attempt to reach the kids that most people think they can't reach. Ready to lift up low self esteems. Ready to hold them to higher standards than their parents do.

While teaching at Lawrence Central would be cake. The only story I would have to tell is about what it was like to be in full retreat at Grand Nationals. Not about the fight I broke up, the kid that was running drugs, or the time when I finally got the choir to sing.

I got offered a mission, and I chose to accept it.