And Just Like That.....

This is such an amazing and momentous day, and one I have been waiting for for a very long time! I planned this whole inauguration day for the entire fifth and sixth grades because I felt (and duh, it is) it was so important for the kids to really understand what a big deal it is for Obama to be taking office, especially the day after MLK, Jr. day.

You never know how these things are going to go -- generally, I groom my classes to be big talkers and discussers of events, but some groups are more deep and sensitive than other groups.

I was really pleasantly surprised this morning when we had an hour discussion of racism in our country. It was awesome that they were all so into it and not afraid to express their opinions and beliefs, and that they were able to draw upon historic moments that changed racial attitudes (I'm talking a range of the Japanese internment camps to the Crusades), and how people are afraid of what is different. It was pretty powerful.

I had been feeling a bit burnt out on teaching the past couple of weeks, but it is days like this that make me, literally, cry because I have the best job in the world.

Besides being independently wealthy. Or getting paid to travel. Or writing best-selling novels that Robert Pattison stars in.