I'm sure you can relate.
Last week, I got a new cell phone. It seems like the learning curve for pocket technology gets increasingly steep for me, so it came as no surprise that this latest upgrade was riddled with complications, including the loss of all of my important contacts. (Sure, it retained contacts with people that I have no recollection of ever collecting information from, but that just stands to reason, right?)
So when the phone rang last week, I had no clue who was calling me most of the time. On one particular occasion, I was blessed to hear the voice of Ashley, a compatriot gifted teacher from a nearby district.
Now the funny thing about my relationship with Ashley is that she has been teaching gifted for a year -- and was connected with me to be her "resident expert" a year ago, yet every time I get together with her, I come away with far more resources and ideas, and am generally recharged, with my mind swimming with new approaches.
Today's lunch with Ashley was no exception. It lasted 3 1/2 hours, which flew by unbelievably fast. We both had totebags of stuff to share, and notebooks in which we scribbled furiously. And in my mind, I felt like I was going to come home with all of this new information, and suddenly have all the black and white jumblings in my mind suddenly turn to living color, just like the little kid in What Do You Do with an Idea?
So tonight, I celebrate a friendship with a friend who completely undervalues herself in our relationship -- who recharges and renews my enthusiasm for my TOG title, with such vigor that I can hardly contain my brain. We owe it to ourselves as teachers to search for motivation and collaboration wherever we can!
John Dewey was right -- and I am learning and reflecting on a delicious lunch, with yet another colleague, who helped to continue to make this summer one of extraordinary perfection.
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