Friday morning, off to work to drop off my keys. Saying good-bye again the morning after the commencement exercise is difficult. Graduating is so bittersweet. Fact is, nearly everyone I have worked with and nearly everyone who graduated with me- I will not see again. That is the thing about teaching twelfth graders. The young adults grow so much, but then they are expected to move on. That is it. What is different this year? In the past, there was always the hope that accompanied the next class of students. I’m going to miss that.
What won’t I miss? Education becoming a numbers game, a data driven laboratory. The school business is a people industry. I believe the relationships are the key to success. Sure, implementing good lessons with sound objectives based on the results of a wide variety of assessments over time is a prerequisite for a solid educational experience. But, the key involves classroom management and the development of strong, healthy, positive relationships between teachers and students. Teaching is “relational.” That teacher-student relationship is the fuel that drives the piston that makes instruction work.
And now, it is time to hit the ignition. Trip is on! First stop? The neighborhood Circle K to pick up bottles of water, Chex Mix and Red Vines. Driving north on I-17 takes us past Camp Verde and the weather cools off as we reach Flagstaff. Look snow in May!
Now we are eastbound on I-40 with the pedal to the metal. Past old lumber, ranching, and railroad towns like Winslow and Holbrook. As we approach New Mexico we cruise past Ft. Courage- the “trading post” modeled after the fort on the old tv show F-Troop. (Too bad time has past it by, too. It has closed.) Soon after we hit the Land of Enchantment.
The end of the first day’s travel takes us to Tucumcari, NM. Wish I had a really good picture of the KFC that stood next to our motel. Its classic. Oh, well. Expect to be up early in the morning; looking forward to more adventures. Hope you put your seat belt on and join us as we head to Kansas City!
Loving the blog! Keep the posts coming! Travel safe 🙂