9/12/11-Of long times and shortcomings

First, a huge thank you to all of you who have responded with your thoughts and prayers for David Miller, my cousin who is missing. As a small update, his car was found about 20 miles from his home on Saturday, but still no sign of David. We still have hope that he will be found safe. 

On Saturday, my daughter and my brother and one of his son-in-laws drove down to Cedar City to help search in that area. We were driving through some pretty rough terrain and it seemed as if he were in there, how would we ever be able to search everywhere. It seemed like it would take a very long time. 

This set me on another course of thinking with regards to that which we do. My primary job function for the past 12 years has been training teachers. There has been a forrest of teachers out there for me to work with and it seems at times that too has been pretty rough terrain. I remember thinking early on that this is going to take a long time. I think I have now defined a long time as forever, or as long as I choose to do this, or others chose to allow me to do it.

By that I mean by that is there will always be something new to learn, or at least there better be. We always seem to talk as if at some point we'll be finished helping teachers to learn what they need to become 21st Century Educator  or whatever it is we want them to be. Too often I think we keep that long term view of what we would like to see them be in 3 yrs., 5 yrs. etc.

This is kind of me in a nutshell, but what I am realizing as a shortcoming for me is that I have to accept all of the wins with teachers as they come. There are small victories everyday and they need to be celebrated as much as saying, "Wow that teacher gets it!" That seems to imply that we are done, and I really don't think we will ever be. I used to think that was a bad thing, but I now realize that as long as it is like that I will continue to have a job I love and work with great people who do great things with kids everyday. 

So I am resolving to do just that, enjoy those daily wins with teachers, because that is a win with 30 kids as well and that is what is most important after all. At least I think it is.