New SUNY in April: Conversations with Eileen Day 18

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Evening Friend,

The last Hudson Vally Writing Project Saturday Seminar at SUNY New Paltz and I was on the road by 7:30. It was crisp and clear and spring and while I knew that riding back home would be much more challenging I had my camera and my iPad and I was ready to learn something new and reconnect with great teacher consultants in our program that continues.

As I looked more carefully for images I wanted to grab a few that still keep the Old Main familiarity, the gorgeous windows remain but the building has been transformed.

I remember when you first came to a Visitor’s Day, maybe the first one, when I believed life couldn’t get better, and I still hadn’t met Tuvia. Professionally then I was part of the founding leadership of the HVWP with two “college” profs. Little me, high school teacher. I would bet that the small ac unit in the window did nothing to cool the room, but you were there…

So today, I was back and thinking about the shoulders I stand on and the work the continues even though this is about the worst school environment I’ve ever seen. I don’t say this too loudly, but I am so happy I am retired. We now have business and politicians mucking around in education. Ugh… what a mess! But it’s too soon to start turning things around we need to spend a lot more money on artificial assessments and tests to grade teachers.

I feel so sorry for those young, idealist pre service teachers. There’s no room now for idealism.

So today it was great to watch Rebecca in action, share Christine’s great news about her Fulbright to Finland next year, Tom’s enthusiasm about your Scholarship Fund, thinking deeply with Denise, one of my favorite 8th grade teachers… So many great teachers… so little support for their out-of the box work.

By now I would be pausing in a real time conversation and waiting for you to get me to change it up.

Okay, it’s to end the day… more tomorrow…