Last year was a turning point for me. As a teacher, I decided to give up much of my work outside of school in exchange for a deeper, fuller presence with my students. I pledged to bring less of my job home with me so that I could apply more of myself during the day.
So how’s it working out?
I’ve put my most earnest energy into students, both mine and the kids all around me. And it’s coming back. In spades.
Friday was a snow (cold) day, and I woke up to an email from a student who was so excited about Winnie-The-Pooh’s 100th birthday on the 24th that she wrote a “lost chapter” detailing what happened to Roo (who, in real life, was lost in an apple orchard).
And then there were my fourth graders, who are fully engrossed in our “give-it-a-go” writing. They’ve found writing they want to emulate, and they’re working to emulate it:
And this morning, I walked through the hallway right as students were coming in. I heard, “Mrs. Levin! We have something for you!” On Friday’s day off, two of my students got together and made honey cookies in honor of (yep, you guessed it) Winnie-The-Pooh’s birthday. What an amazing start to my day.
Then there were my fifth graders today, when I let them loose on independent study of various topics related to language study. Am I not-so-secretly pleased that today was the day the principal swung by to see what goes on in our classroom, and that she saw, up close and personal, a group of kids excited and eager to follow their curiosity? You BETCHA. I’ll also say it was a great problem to have when the kids had so many requests for further research they had to keep track of it on the white board.
That doesn’t even count…
-the line of kids who want to create their own word puzzles to post outside my door
-the “regulars” around school who take me up on my “free hugs” button
-the second-graders who recognize the symbolic freedom of birds in flight
So if you ask me, I’ll continue to do what I do. I’ll continue to invest myself fully and thoroughly in my students. I’ll continue to learn alongside and from them, as well as I can, as long as I can.
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 
Your slice captures that perfect synthesis of all things coming together, as Pooh would say, “just so”– especially with the unannounced visit from your principal. It really is a beautiful lesson in trusting the process…thank you for the reminder!!