WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got back from watching the movie "Freedom Writers," based on the book written by high school students in LA, assisted by their amazing teacher Erin Gruwell. I'm inspired by the perserverance and optimism she shows for her students, despite facing such negativity from other fellow educators. I shed many tears during this movie...tears of saddness, tears of happiness, tears of frustration, tears of anger...

Pardon this interruption for my soapbox for a minute: Being an educator is difficult, to say the least. Not to say that others aren't difficult, everyone has a hard time at work, I suppose that's why it's called work? I get disgruntled with others (some being my own friends) who tell me that teachers are lucky for their jobs. They tell me things like "what other profession would give me the summer off and the other vacations I have" and "you get paid that much for only working part of the year?"

ANYWAY... Back to the movie. If you get the opportunity to watch it, do so. If you get the opportunity to read the book, DO IT. If you get the opportunity to hear Erin Gruwell speak, don't let it pass by! I had the chance to hear her last year and she was PHENOMENAL.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful week this week!!! Keep your head up and keep trucking.

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