Who We Are

In the past few weeks I have thought a lot about my job. It's true that I love it. Everyday, I love it. I am eager to get to work, eager to see my students, eager to see what they have learned and eager to plan for what's next. How did I get to this place? There are many reasons including the people who influenced me in my life, the teachers I have had, and the inherent creativity that is part of teaching.

My parents are my biggest supporters. They influenced me in ways I will never clearly understand. Most of what they have done is live in a way that is a model for all of us. Being kind and helping others in a humble quiet way is what they do. They don't look for thanks. They don't do any of it for recognition. They do it because they can. They help others because they believe that is what humans are asked to do. It is our obligation to help people who are less fortunate. When I was recognized for teaching it was extremely surprising and wonderful and my parents were very proud. It has been something that I will always remember, but it is not something I was looking for. It doesn't make me love my work any more than I already do. It just raises up the work of education so that maybe others can see its beauty and power and find ways to support our work in schools.

There are many teachers that influenced me in my work. While I cannot describe or remember any of the academic content they taught me, I can remember the way they cared about me and my classmates. Mr. Ario taught us about our responsibilities as US citizens and our obligations in the world and in our neighborhoods. He taught us about kindness and love. Mr. Austrums quietly patiently taught us algebra. He told us about his hopes for us and he loved each of us. He was quiet and gentle in the way he taught and he was joyful in his praise of our learning. These teachers taught me how to live. I love teaching because I love learning. This love of learning came from my experiences in school. I had teachers who helped me discover the power and wonder of learning.

Every day I get to learn something and I get to create an experience for my students in which they will learn something about math (or life, hopefully). Having to use my creativity has been a an unexpected gift. I have learned how think in ways that expand my mind. It's hard to describe this process of crafting a lesson that is engaging and fun and effective. It's challenging and daunting at times. And it is wildly satisfying too.

I work with so many teachers who believe in this work. I look forward to learning more from them.

Create. It will change your life.

Teaching Is Love

When I first started teaching middle school it was awful. I was awful. I drove home many days crying my eyes out and dreading the next day. It was a tough crowd. I was teaching 8th grade math to students who were struggling in their regular math class so they had to take a second math class. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Who wants to even take one math class let alone two? And for kids who are struggling in math, taking another math class feels like punishment. However, in June, when the year was over, I was eager to give it another try. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. What changed? I started to love them. I started to see them as the beautiful people they were rather than the difficult-to-manage-in-your-face students everyone complained about.

Every year a few students get under my skin. All my usual tricks don't work and I go home wondering what to do. How will I reach her? How will I help him be successful when he won't stop swearing long enough to hear the assignment? I decide to love them. I decide that my job, more than teaching fractions, and slope, and line of best fit, is to love them.

I didn't figure this out myself. Most of what I do is stolen from other teachers I have had the privilege to know. My high school philosophy teacher taught me what it means to be human. My middle school math teacher taught me about kindness. My son's English teacher taught me about how unimportant grades are and how incredibly important love is.

Everyday I learn something from my colleagues, my students, my children, my parents, and my friends. Learning is what I do. Learning is what I love.

Wow - Indescribable, But I'll Try

So, on Tuesday I'm at the gym for a dreaded middle school assembly and I am surprised and astounded because at the assembly I am awarded an awesome thing - recognition for my job. I'm still in a daze about it. I still can't really remember much from the moment they read my name until about 24 hours later.

The teachers at Andersen and the students at Andersen are what it's all about. I work in a magical place with teachers who work harder than anyone and kids who need us all to work even harder. I love my job. I'm not sure if it is true for every profession, but when I say I am a teacher, I feel like I'm really defining who I am. I feel proud to say those words because it is such precious and awesome and gratifying and influential work. I get to be creative every single day. I get to learn every single day. I get to be with other human beings who are learning and growing every single day and I get to be part of that process! Who wouldn't like that?

Here are some things that have happened:

• Strangers sent emails thanking me for my work.
• People I went to grade school with sent notes of congratulations.
• My parents cried and told me how proud they are.
• My colleagues celebrated with me.
• Parents of grade school friends left me tearful messages.
  
• Past students came to my school to see me.
• Small sweet elementary school kids stopped to say, "Are you Ms. Spriggs? Congratulations!"
• My church choir stopped singing and applauded for me.
• I got flowers from the credit union.
• People say they are proud to know me.

It's all so humbling. Today was the first day I really cried about it. On my way to work I was listening to a song and I started bawling. Humanity! I love you all.

It's Just Life

I love how now that I'm a grownup I can look at bees swarming on my flowers and feel happy about the power of nature instead of feeling freaked out and fearful. Now I'm freaked out and fearful about different stuff like falling down stairs or getting in a car accident or losing my memory way faster than I intend.

Be kind. Be calm. Believe that everyone is really doing their best. Say that a few times. It might stick.

Go Ahead

A nice polyester pant is okay once in a while. Live a little.

Who Is Working On That?

It is such an obvious maddening conspiracy. Does anyone really think we are not capable of making roads that stay smooth through the Minnesota winter? I mean really, we can make a hand held device that can do almost anything but we can't make a road? Yes we can. We just choose not to. Because when we have to replace roads every couple of years we help people make money. Dumb rich people making money. Now it is obvious this is true because it is the same model that the nylon people are using. Seriously, no one knows how to make nylons that don't run? As if! We can fly a man to the moon. We can make bacteria that kill viruses in people. We can do SKYPE for god's sake! We can certainly make nylons that don't run and roads that don't crack. We just choose not to so we have to keep making the things and paying for them and making people rich. I've had it! Figure it out people. Let's take this to the streets... oh wait, we can't because of the road construction.

Cover the Crack

No one likes to look at butt cracks. I'm just wondering why we see them so much. In the past 24 hours I have seen three butt cracks. One 60 year-old man, one 30-something woman, and one 13-year-old girl. Can they not feel that their cracks are showing? Do they think crack showing is appropriate? Maybe they think it is just a minor offense, sort of like spinach in the teeth. It's gross. It's crass.

People - pull up the pants. Cover the crack!