Goosebumps. But not the RL Stine kind.

Do you ever get goosebumps when you hear or read something amazing? This happened to me three times in the  past 24 hours. Awesome. Purely awesome. Evidence that I am well looked-after and quite loved by Heavenly Father. As previous posts have hinted, I am off and on doubting my career choice. Today was a day of affirmation. It all started out with remembering how my little brother dressed up as Jaime Escalante one day a long time ago for a report. A quick look on Wikipedia taught me that he was freakin sweet! He taught in Thugsville, just like I did. The only difference was, he was inspired by the different competency and socioeconomic levels, races, and lifestyles all around the student body. He helped students to realize their potential for greatness. He took kids from remedial mathematics and showed them their power to learn... until they were acing AP Calculus and going to Ivy League schools-- despite fierce opposition on all sides. He is now officially added to my hall of heroes!

The next time this happened was when my curiosity got the best of me and I finally read the transcript for President Obama's back to school speech he gave not long ago. Holy smokes. Yet another inspiring moment! By the end of it, I was feeling really good about teaching high school again. Here are some lovelies from it:

"Nobody gets to write your destiny but you.  Your future is in your hands.  Your life is what you make of it.  And nothing -- absolutely nothing -- is beyond your reach, so long as you’re willing to dream big, so long as you’re willing to work hard.  So long as you’re willing to stay focused on your education, there is not a single thing that any of you cannot accomplish, not a single thing.  I believe that." 

"It takes all of us in government -- from the governor to the mayor to the superintendent to the President -- all of us doing our part to prepare our students, all of them, for success in the classroom and in college and in a career. It’s going to take an outstanding principal, ...and outstanding teachers...-- teachers who are going above and beyond the call of duty for their students. And it’s going to take parents who are committed to your education. 

Now, that’s what we have to do for you. That’s our responsibility. That’s our job. But you’ve got a job, too. You’ve got to show up to school on time. You’ve got to pay attention in your class. You’ve got to do your homework. You’ve got to study for exams. You’ve got to stay out of trouble. You’ve got to instill a sense of excellence in everything that you do. That kind of discipline, that kind of drive, that kind of hard work, is absolutely essential for success."

WOW.  He really does know how to speak! I wish I could print this out and give it to all the students in my classes. Somehow, I have to help them to see.

The last one is for another time. But it's just as feel-good.

xoxo
[RACHEL, the high-school teacher... and someday professor]