Being Switzerland

I never know what to tell people what I do...my life is a hybrid. I am a quasi administrator, a quasi teacher. I accepted a job thinking I would do one job but as we all know...the real job often entails so much more. It is easiest to say that I am a teacher. Although this explanation often infuriates my family who watched me work so hard to accomplish what I have done at this point. But, at the very heart of what I do, I am a teacher.

Every third day, I get to see a group of 8th graders that I have taught now for three years. I only get 50 minutes with them, so time is precious. This year, it has been a challenge to fit everything we want to discuss into that time frame. Then on top of it, this is middle school. Middle school students are my favorite age bracket for so many reasons, but one of the top reasons is for the sake that these students are starting to develop their own opinions and into their own personalities.

It has been a hard year to be a teacher, a hard year due to the political tornado that hit our country. I try very hard to be Switzerland whenever teaching about an issue that has two very distinct sides. I know it is important for my students to be presented with all viewpoints and then form their own opinions based on that information. As Carl Pickhardt, a psychologist in private counseling and public lecturing practice in Austin, Texas, wrote that, "They [adolescents] start pulling away, pushing against, and getting around adult authority in order to create more freedom to grow and to live on more independent terms." I never want to sway my students, if they end up agreeing with my beliefs at the end of a very evenly presented debate, conversation, or discussion then that is great. But, I fundamentally believe that having a personal opinion with no fear of retribution is what sets our country apart from others.

Recently. I had a student say to me that they still had no idea which side of the political system I fell on and he really admired that I was able to stay so neutral. I was surprised to hear this comment as I felt that I had (regrettably) made a few comments that would show my unwavering support for one candidate. I am happy that I could be Switzerland. I felt like I did my job.

I still haven't decided how to deal with the inauguration. I'll keep you posted.

One Little Word - Become

I have never been one to keep New Year's Resolutions...I even make them with a grain of salt. The only resolution that I have ever been successful in keeping was when I was a young 20 something living in New York City and going out resulted in high bar tabs for the mixed drinks I loved so much. That year, my resolution was to learn to like beer. I think of it as a fiscally responsible decision. I conquered that resolution, perhaps all too well. Other resolutions have included all the things that I know I lack as a single female...housecleaning, cooking, less TV, more reading, and then some years I haven't resolved to do anything different.

My colleague introduced me to one little word. Instead of creating a list of resolutions to change myself, pick one word that you want to define what you do and where you put your energy for the year. I loved it. The first year, I was excited and picked a word...what it was I cannot recall. As that year took a turn and I had to focus any extra energy on my mother as her health was drastically declining.

Become.

This will be the year that I become. For the past three years my life has revolved around my job and the needed medical attention for my mother. My mother passed away less than a month ago. It was a death that released her from a body that broke down on her but still the emptiness that her death has left seems to be a sinkhole that gets larger everyday. My OLW this year is for her as well. I want my life that continues after her death to have meaning and be purposeful.

Become. I will become who I have always wanted to be. I have spent decades on my professional being and am constantly in awe of that person. Vedi, Vidi, Vici. I came. I saw. I conquered. But this year I want to become more of what is inside me. I want to become the writer that has lived inside since I was a little girl. I want to become a nurturer for a child. I want to become well read. I want to become healthy. I want to become a traveller. I want to become who I know I can be.

So this year, will be the year that I become.