Magic Wand

As I sit here in my work space at one of my three schools for the new school year, I will admit feeling overwhelmed! I re-shelved books and laid out my personal items to make the classroom feel more welcoming with international relics. The fact that the work room I now have is half it's size due to having to share with another staff member doesn't bother me at all.
What is overwhelming is having to deal with some of the more mundane back to school tasks and arriving at my mailbox to find not one, not two but 5 new ELL enrollment forms.

I know my schedule is always in flux as I change it to meet the language demands of my students. However, I'm starting the year not knowing who my para-professional will be, never stepping foot as a teacher in two of my three buildings and already the paperwork is creating a nice little pile on my desk corner.

This year I brought a few extra items from home to personalize my space. A linen hanging of Green Tara who is tattooed on my left arm. If you can read the description or want to know who she is - she represents the "active aspects of compassion. As the national goddess of Tibet she is propitiated in order to protect from and overcome obstacles. Her right hand is in the gesture of supreme generosity and her left hand holds a lotus of pure compassion in the gesture of the 3 jewels".

This seems very fitting as I'm already facing some let's say scheduling issues today. It's also fitting because my life goal is to bring my authentic self into everything I do. I shared with my PLN this summer that I follow the principles of Buddhism and as I wear her on my arm - Tara stands for something pretty important in my value system. As an educator, compassion drives how I speak to, deliver messages to, interact with and guide my day with students, teachers and parents.

Another item I brought into my classroom (and waved around at our back to school picnic) is my 'magic wand'. Originally giving to me as a 'hope wand' ~another story entirely~ it has now become a 'magic wand'.  When around children they magically want to hold it - they are almost mesmerized by the sparkling, metallic stars that sway around the golden middle. As they take it from my hands - they hold it ever so gingerly as if it indeed holds some magic power. It empowered a few of my new kindergartners to talk openly with me at the picnic last week and it might find use as a talking stick within my school building. If it could grant wishes - today I would ask for the logistics of scheduling and papework to not get in the way of the real work! Impacting the lives of my students and building relationships with their families.

That brings me to the  third and most dynamic relic  - my Beyond the Book Sale book. It's in plain sight on my desk so that I can refer to it frequently, reminisce from my #ptcamp days when notions of school days were far away and we dreamed and shared together from vacation spots around the world.

Now waving my magic wand and wishing those grand ideas come to fruition !

What would your wish be today as you begin your new school year?