Whatever It Takes

A new school year brings new students, procedures, initiatives, and pressures. Sometimes it also brings a new school, classroom, and curriculum. All of that can seem really daunting. Thankfully, the new year also brings fresh ideas and unlimited possibilities. Many times it's difficult balancing all of our required tasks along with our creative and innovative ideas. This year my source of inspiration for getting it all done, and still providing magical experiences for my students, comes from the Kids Deserve It movement. At the end of the day, it comes down to doing what's best for the kids despite all the challenges we face. 

Kids Deserve It is a movement found on social media created by two principals, Adam Welcome and Todd Nesloney, who share the same ideas about education. Kids Deserve It is a place for educators to share their ideas and challenge the status quo. It's a place where educators are inspired to do whatever it takes for the kids. #KidsDeserveIt has personally been a source of inspiration for me on Twitter.  Every time I look at my feed, I'm challenged and reminded of what is really important. Adam and Todd also wrote a book about this. 

As teachers, we all have full schedules, endless responsibilities, and a to-do list to get done. However, we must not forget to stop and reflect on instruction. Does this really benefit the children? Are they happy in my classroom? Do they want to be there? Are we happy? If the answer is no, it's time for a change. Sometimes we need to shake things up a little bit. We're the professionals. We spend hours with our students everyday. We know what our students need and deserve. They deserve exciting experiences that are meaningful and challenging. They deserve choice and to be heard. They deserve a teacher who is happy. They deserve a teacher who is willing to take risks. We may not be able to make every moment a magical one, but we can try. They deserve it.