Molder of Dreams

Today was a great day and a stressful day all in one. I knew the stress part would be inevitable but for some reason, today it just hit me like a ton of bricks. But, since I am trying to hard to be a "half glass full" kind of person lately, I'm going to skip the complaining about the million things I have yet to do and talk about the reality of today.

So, I survived my first all staff inservice at the high school! It's scary walking into a building alone and not knowing 95% of the people there. Luckily, a few of the girls I've already met and spent some time with waited for me in the front so I wouldn't have to go in by myself.

Let me take a minute and talk about where I came from. At my previous job, we were all one big family. We loved each other and it was obvious. We were all females, with exception of one male speech therapist, and I considered these girls and guy to be like my brother and sisters. We looked out for each other in work and in life. They were not only my colleagues, they were my friends. For two years, I worked hard and long to accomplish great things with these wonderful ladies (and gentleman) and I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything. They are still a huge part of my life and I know we will be friends forever. There is one person in those two years that I would not have gotten along without and that is my mentor, Julie. I can't put into words how much her friendship, support and guidance helped me through my first two years as a speech therapist. And if you were to ask me the one thing I will miss most about my previous job, it would, without a doubt, be my "family".

Now, there's something almost empowering when you walk into a room full of teachers, principals and superintendents and see the amazing sense of comradary they all share. I want so badly to be a part of that "family". I can only hope to find the love and respect and guidance in this group of people that I had before (although it is almost impossible to find something as great).

One by one, we began the year by filing into the high school auditorium for our "Welcome Back" speech from the superintendent. I still have yet to formally meet this man but let me tell you, today, I have a new found respect for my "higher ups". The morning started with the pledge of allegiance, because believe it or not, we live in America. And believe it or not, America is "One Nation Under God". This made me proud, proud to be an American and proud to be part of a school district that still takes a moment out to pledge allegiance to the country that gave us our freedom. And believe me, God was not absent from ANY part of this inservice, which was led by our superintendent. And when he started reading a poem about counting your blessings, I knew this was the right place for me.

Public education is by far under attack. And for those of you who know anything about me, you know that I am not one to talk about politics because to be quiet honest, I know nothing about it. But I am one who will fight to the end in the belief that every child should have the access to a public education and a good one at that. Which is why I think I'll fit in very well at this district. I can say 100%, without hesitation, that every single person in this district has a heart as big, if not even bigger, than mine. With four+ years of education, my current and former colleagues are more than qualified to provide a quality education for children of any age. With the insane amount of budget cuts in public education throughout the state and throughout the country, our district was lucky enough to not furlough any teachers and hire about 5 more, including me!

With that said, we heard from the business manager, the union president, the retirement plan guy (not really sure what his official title is) and a few others before we were allowed a quick stretch and bathroom break.

After the break, we were scheduled to watch a "docudrama". This was the first I've ever heard that word but let me tell you, I am more than pleased with their choice of "speaker" for this morning. In an effort to save money, the "speaker" would be on video in the "docudrama" we were about to watch. So, the superintendent comes back on the microphone and introduces the Docudrama "Molder of Dreams" by Guy Doud. The lights turned off and on came the film and the first thing that comes across the screen is "Focus on the Family" production. If you are not familiar with "Focus on the Family", it is a global Christian ministry that believes "that the purpose of life is to know and glorify God through an authentic relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ." My mother listens to Dr. Dobson and Focus on the family every morning and it is something I grew up listening to with her. The film was so close to life changing that it's scary. There were a few times during the hour that I had tears in my eyes. If you are a teacher and you have yet to see this video, I highly recommend it. Although it's an old one, it is definitely a good one. The impact it will have on you will be worth the really cheesy acting! Here's a very brief synopsis of the main focus: Guy Doud was National Teacher of the Year during Ronald Reagan's presidency and was honored to the point where he was invited to the White House to meet the president. During his visit, the president read this poem to Mr. Doud:

Teachers
You are the molders of their dreams
The gods who build or crush
Their young beliefs of right or wrong.
You are the spark that sets aflame
The poet's hand or lights the flame
Of some great singer's song.
You are the god of the young, the very young
You are the guardian of a million dreams
Your every smile or frown
Can heal or pierce the heart
You are a hundred lives, a thousand lives.
Yours the pride of loving them
And the sorrow too.
Your patient work, your touch
Make you the gods of hope
Who fill their souls with dreams
To make those dreams come true.

So, teachers, as you enter into a new school year, remember, YOU are the molder of dreams. You have the ability to change the lives of the children who walk through your doors. Take it. Take it and run with it. Make a difference and change the world. The future is all in your hands.