Never Apologize For Your Art

Today, a few of my students were given an awesome opportunity. They were given a chance to see into the future, through the eyes of a very wise man. This is a man many call a futurist, and arguably, one of the smartest men on the planet.

A few of our CSA operatives were able to skype with the head of New Mexico State University's Agricultural Science and Natural Resource Department. They were able to bounce ideas off of a leader in progressive Agriculture and hear about new ways to become more sustainable. Most importantly, they were given the opportunity to set higher goals for themselves. 

                                     

They were completely absorbed in his words, grasping onto all of the far sited information. Most of which, these kids would never be exposed to other wise. Roof Top Gardens? Decorative Landscapes, that can FEED people?

For all of the information he was able to give these kids, he was also able to bestow some amazing advice to them. 

"Never apologize for your art." "Find something you are good at." "Never be afraid to be yourself." 

So often we try to fit our students into a mold. A straight A, sit still, yes ma'am mold. But that is not reaching into the depths of learning. That is training, not teaching. 

If I never teach my students anything, but those three things, I will still consider myself a success.

The Back Back

The Back Back

As a teacher, you will always experience moments where your students say something that leaves you thinking "WHOA.....Where did that come from?"

I had one of these moments today.... I have a student who is totally stepping out of his comfort zone to run for an upper level FFA office. We were brain storming for speech topics when another student walked into my classroom and saw him. This new student looks at him and then to me and says, "Hey, Mrs. R... did you know 'so n so' hates the back back?"  

The back back? With teenagers, you never really know where this conversation could be going. I have no earthly idea what The back back could possibly be.. so like all eternal learners, I ask....

The back back is the third row in a vehicle. The row furthest from the driver. The seats without an exit strategy. The seats with no escape if said car ran off a bridge into a lake. Or at least that is how it was explained to me.

This was all the inspiration I needed. As teachers (and students) we need to get out of the back back. We need to fight our way to the front seat. We have got to take control of the eeducation of our students.

Often times a teacher's day is so filled with paper work, planning, and bureaucracy that we forget what our true purpose in the classroom is. We can't ride in the back seat of our classrooms. We have to step up and not be afraid to steer our students in new and different directions.