Updates.

I don't have time tonight for a real post, so a quick update will have to suffice:

* Going on a field trip tomorrow with our G/T kids - we're going to an independent bookstore so each kid can choose a book, taking a tour of the downtown of our closest city to expose them to some history of the area, and visiting an art museum for some culture'n'stuff. The kids are SUPER excited, as am I - when we're back, we're going to do a Socratic seminar on beauty (specifically, is it in the eye of the beholder or is it universal?) and it's gonna be suh-weeeeeeet!

* We're about to start a unit on commentary and I've spent the last hour pouring over Leonard Pitts' collection Forward from this Moment. I'm a little bit in love with Leonard Pitts now. I knew he was good, but DAMN. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he...well, he makes me want to be a better person and stand up for things that should be stood up for. My only problem? Narrowing the columns I love to a reasonable selection. I've gotten it down to seven (from fourteen) but I need to cut to five. Husband's being enlisted to help because how can I drop any others?

* Feeling better from yesterday. Being back at school, seeing my kids, actually experiencing all the things I love and not just trying to remember them....it helped. Immensely.

* I like how even my short posts are actually kind of long. Writing too little has clearly never been a problem of mine.

(Image credit to wwarby)

Taking on another commitment...?

Today I was asked to serve as my school’s G/T co-coordinator for the year.

Which….I’m torn. I think gifted education is incredibly important. I don’t know how to say this without sounding braggy, so I’m just going to say it – much of my education was in gifted magnet programs, and that gave me access to some pretty rockin’ opportunities that not everyone got to experience (which is unfortunate but that’s not going to change, at least not right now).

I have some ideas of fun stuff to do with our gifted kids to extend their learning, both in and out of the classroom; I feel like G/T students sometimes get short shrift these days (maybe always? I’m new to this end of education and while my own was excellent, I don’t know if that’s been true everywhere) because people are so focused on the kids who are below grade level. Now, believe you me, I full on realize that those kids need attention. They desperately, desperately need attention. But EVERYONE should always be making growth, and just because a kid is already scoring advanced doesn’t mean he or she couldn’t be doing even more.

Plus I love the gifted kids; some of my colleagues find them somewhat challenging because they can be royal pains in the ass, but I think they’re awesome. Talking to them is super fun and even helpful at times because they have such interesting ideas. They keep me on my toes, and as long as I keep them on theirs, I don’t usually have a lot of behavior problems. I’d love to take on this new challenge for those reasons. (Oh, and a good resume thing, right? Always good to build that resume!)

But. The con, and it’s a big one. (And there’s always a con, right?) Time. This year I’ve got a lot already. New curriculum. New PD thing I’m doing that will require at least a couple of days out of the classroom. Three leadership committees that I’m on (including honors, which would sort of tie to this, but not fully). Running the school newspaper. Oh, and then there’s the whole being married and wanting to see my husband every now and again thing.

So I don’t know. What would you do? If you were in my position, would you take on this additional commitment to something you really care about, or decide that you’d be overextending yourself and decline? Advice, please please please!

(Photo credit to Andreanna.)

(PS No idea what is up with my fonts here. Blogger is mad at me and I don't know what to do about it. Sorry.)