T-minus 3 Days...

I am finally in my classroom again. And in 3 days I will have a classroom, kids, and a whole litany of challenges, set backs, and success to fight for.

These last couple weeks since getting back from Minnesota have been quite an emotional challenge. I have gotten into my school. I have met the staff. And I could hardly be any more excited for the school year. It is going to be incredible. Challenging. World stretching. Draining. And fun. Fun in the same way a rugby game is: It is thrilling because of how disastrous or incredible it could be. Except this time, instead of staring down 15 brutes in ugly shorts and socks reeking of booze and malice, I am going to face a classroom of kids with their own problems and fears reeking of untapped potential- and I will be trying to make them believe in themselves. That happens to be the opposite of my rugby strategy which consisted of mainly "manly" posturing, belittling banter, and maybe a few too many punches thrown... None of those will be in my classroom management plan.

The emotional challenge actually does not come from the last paragraph but rather the bureaucracy. Anyone that ever had a class with me, or had the opportunity to speak with my parents after any parent-teacher conference from about 7th grade on knows that one of my shortcomings is my inability to put up with busy work. I also tend to get disruptive and sassy when I feel like someone is not respecting my potential or pushing me. It turns out most new teacher training and School District Test Centric Beuracracy is actually like kryptonite to me. (Yes, I did just compare myself to Superman. It is where being a comic book nerd comes all the way around and becomes arrogance). Through the smothering green glow of boredom and frustration- I have been fighting tooth and nail (and cape!) to hold onto the dream and passion I have for teaching as planning meetings, incredibly redundant and asinine planning meetings, cynicism, schedules, and test centric philosophies do their damnedest to suck the excitement for what is about to occur from me.

We have been being trained by the Houston ISD, and I must admit that I admire the way the school district is truly doing its best to try and move towards a vision of a school district that gives all of its students (well over half of whom are FORM- free or reduced meal- students a real chance at a great education and opportunity). However, after that point, after I acknowledge that I believe they are truly working their hardest for what they believe is the good of the students, after that I MUST totally disagree with the school system and how they operate.

I believe teaching to the test does not foster the creativity necessary to thrive in a service based economy. It also sucks the joy out f learning and pushes kids that NEED it away from an opportunity to chase their dreams. I think Test Centered Philosophies cleverly stifle the potential for upward mobility (this is a conspiracy theory I came up with during a 20 minute session on who was allowed to sign our mentor form- the answer by the way is: our mentor. That is all. only our mentor. The next 19.75 minutes were spent with my trying to figure out if the presenter thought i was an idiot or just hated me...)

OK, dear reader- sorry this is so long, but I cannot end on a negative note: I made a conscious decision three days ago to stop whining, find the positive edges of life and smile through it all. I can't change the bureaucracy and while some sarcasm is therapeutic- too much poisons the soul. So, here as a going away present: here are 6 wonderful things about teaching in Houston for HISD:

1) My kids. I have met some of them- I am thrilled to get to know them more. They are like real life tiny people.
2) The heart. HISD wants to get better and is really trying to. Got to respect effort at least.
3) Texas. Nuf Said. I still haven't figured it all out, but right after the Pledge of Allegience, we say the Texas pledge- they just added "under God" to it. I gotta love the swagger of Texas doing it there way- and you can go surprise the south end of a north bound "hoss" if you don't like their style. Love the swagger even when I disagree.
4) Diversity. This city is diverse in almost every way you can imagine (except the whatever type of diversity allows for it to be less humid than a fat man's armpit. It is humid even when its raining and right after... that isn't supposed to be possible. It is like God's hot tub is always overflowing and it lands on H-town. And shucks, who doesn't like a hot tub?). I can already tell interacting closely with so many cultures, people, and beliefs closely is changing some of my biases and opening my eyes to how amazing my life has been.
5) My team. The people I teach with are awesome and eclectic.
6) Fiesta. They have a grocery store here named "Party". And let me tell you- it lives up to its name... I mean it is not a crazy party, but it they have plenty of food at the party- and i mean, yall have seen me- clearly that is my favorite kind of party...yum! )


Coming soon:
Mr. Brossart finds out what he is teaching.
Mr. Brossart's adventures on Parent Meet and Greet Night.
Mr. Brossart's cowboy hat adventure.
Mr. Brossart and the Fab 5 team (the fifth grade staff).
Mr. Brossart goes to Teacher Heaven.

Sorry for the long silence. As a writing teacher I have to keep writing or I am a hypocrit- so check here for those stories and more in the near future.