Snow baller
Here in DC, we don't play. Sure, there's snow falling and they're calling for sleet and ice in a couple hours. But bring it on, we have school. When all the other districts around us either closed or ended school early yesterday, we in the district kept on going. Today, we only have a 2-hour delay. And you know what? It's been OK. No accidents, no problems, nothing. I was on the roads all day going to schools and it was fine.
Now, that's not to say our teachers (and maybe a few students) weren't doing snow dances and up at 5 am obsessively refreshing the DCPS closings page. But once you lose the disappointment of having to go to school after hours of praying to the snow gods, we're actually proud that we're not pausing for the snow day, because quite frankly, the achievement gap isn't either. That said, thank goodness for those extra two hours of sleep.
Comments
I taught on the south and west sides of Chgo for many years, where we also toiled mightily on the achievement gaps and did our snow dances out in the snow at recess. Now in Houston,TX with the same achievement challenges, I recognize that the Chgo years were precious preparation for what we must begin again. A snowy, steely, shimmering, systematic advance on teaching these children with methods & attitudes designed to deliver. If we don't do it, it will only be because we chose NOT TO. No more days off on the big mission ahead.
Posted by: Kathy Irwin | January 30, 2009 3:45 PM