"We adapt and overcome."...Clint Eastwood "Heartbreak Ridge"

One of my All-Time favorite movies is Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood.  If you haven't seen the movie, I think you should watch it.  There are a lot of really good life lessons in it that can be applied to your everyday.  It reinforced a skill that my parents taught my sisters and I...Flexibility. Living in a house full of women it was a skill well learned.  I have tried to utilize that skill in all areas of my life, especially professionally.  After all, in a school environment we all do what we can in the best interests of the kiddos.  That is also something that was instilled in me through my mom, who was an awesome teacher.  It was a strong connection with Jason as well since he was a principal and felt the same way.  So when my principal wanted to talk with me about the upcoming school year, I was intrigued. 

During the meeting a situation was presented to me, and an action suggested, that required me to be flexible and open minded.  I agreed to the suggestion for several reasons: 1) It seemed that certain events that occurred led to the suggestion; 2) My principal asked me {she didn't have to do that}, 3) she stated her reasons why she thought it would work; 4) I like a challenge, 5) It also seemed in the best interests of the students. 

I didn't really panic about moving rooms mainly because I knew that it would get done with the help of everyone at school who offered to help, but also because I knew that I had the help of my family to keep the kids so I could work late. But most of all I knew it'd get done because hey, just like Clint and his group of ragtag marines; we adapt and overcome.

So I began to move rooms, but found that I had inherited a lot of stuff that could/would prove helpful but I would need to go through it to see.  The problem was I needed to put my stuff away as well.  The staff has been AWESOME in offering to help, the only problem was I didn't know what I needed help with exactly.  I moved the items in my room, but found there wasn't a whole lot of places to put them.  As soon as I got rid of something and turned around, it seemed it had multiplied before I got rid of it.  I hit a wall today (at my school we kindly refer to those as "Bacon Moments").  It was at that moment when the mantra of "Adapt and Overcome" was repeated and I just started pulling out inherited items and working with my teaching partner to evaluate their potential usefulness.  We'd pull out an item look at each other, quickly evaluate and discuss and then decide on the pile the item would go in.  After doing that little exercise I felt much better about things (plus my dad decided to "help" by moving all of my desks against the wall and lining up my chairs by color.  This actually did help me because it looked my room was clean.  So thanks dad!  That helped a lot).

I am now finally at a point that I can use help putting up bulletin boards and such, because most of the other stuff has been put away.  It'll get done, the people I work for/with are AWESOME people. After all, we adapt and overcome.  It's in our nature as educators.