We are all Becoming

My nephew has his MFA from the University of Kentucky. He also studied at the University of North Florida. He is an artist, an art teacher, a sculpter. When he and his family were moving to Kentucky to study, he had some paintings he was "releasing". One was this one.

I love this painting and it hung in our home for a while. One day my niece offered to take it back to her husband and have him finish it. "Oh no," I said... "What I love about it is that is in unfinished." I now call it "The Unfinished Bird." We are all unfinished really. I had taught 6th graders for about a month, in September of 2022. Around the third week I was feeling frustrated with them, their behaviors towards one another, towards mathematics (I was a math teacher.) and I was on my way to Raleigh and Charlotte to a conference and a meeting. On the way I was listening to a radio station (106.9) that provides podcasts in the morning hours. Every podcast I listened to reminded me that we, that our colleagues, that our children "are not done yet." Of course I thought, We are all in a state of "becoming". It was as if I was reminded over and over an over again that we, as teachers, should never forget, that the children we are working with are not who they will be... and we have the amazing gift to nurture them with knowledge, and skills, and by modeling and creating communities of care and inspiration to work together to learn more and make the world a better place. So my "unfinished bird" reminds me everyday that my students are not done yet; and neither am I. My "unfinished bird" gives me permission to take risks, to fail, and to learn from mistakes. My "unfinished bird" is a reminder to all of us... that we are all becoming. 1/13/2022

Becoming: Heroes and Gifts

The Journey Good morning friends and Happy Friday. One of the things I like to do for my students is check in and reflect on what we are learning. I try to do this each week. (: For the first few weeks of the semester, we are looking at Young Adolescents.. I sometimes refer to them as "them";..My friend Sara Powell coined this phrase: "Young Adolescents are Becoming".... I love that word, becoming, as a visual. (Think about it, think about you; we are all becoming really.) They are "becoming" . who they are, learning new information, new ideas, learning about what inspires them, examining who they are individually and collectively. As you read the characteristics of young adolescents and as we explore the characteristics of gifted students, our task ahead is to consider how we can use what we know about them to create experiences and opportunities to help them "become." Two things come to mind for me. The first is "heroes" or those who influence our lives personally, politically, socially, through the arts and sciences of content, through their life work, their stories, their visions. One of my heroes is Martin Luther King Jr.. His passion, compassion, his perseverance, and commitment opened my eyes to the injustices that still exist and must be shared, addressed and redressed, and the possibilities that all of us must play a role in making our classrooms equitable and empowering. The second is gifts... what are our gifts, our passions, and skills that we identified when we were in middle school and still love today. I always loved art, crafts, sewing, drawing... About 15 years ago I took some watercolor classes with a friend. I then picked up acrylic painting. What I have decided is that when I engage with one of my gifts, it brings me joy. I encourage each of you to consider your heroes and your gifts and find ways to reflect and honor each one. Our lives can get complicated, busy, and we can sometimes forget that there are those who came before us or surround us whose lives sparked an interest or a passion or a reminder that what we do matters;.... we sometimes forget the gifts we have chosen and how much joy they bring us and bring to others. As future teachers, you will be someone's hero, you will spark someone's interest in your subject area, you will inspire and model for students how to engage with, communicate with, and pursue content, and ultimately their dreams. Our task is awesome, profound, and I am so happy to be walking with you on this journey as you "become" the next generation of amazing, needed teachers. Enjoy your weekend. Set a goal to do something fun every week and find someone to thank for being your hero. You all are mine! Sincerely, Dr. Ruppert 1/13/2022

My journey... the last semester On the road, as my journey ends and yours begins, I have the awesome opportunity to hear you and learn from what you are doing; I have the important responsibility and the gift to walk with you, next to you, near you, behind you… to encourage, to troubleshoot, to look for joy… As we take this journey together, I have the time to help you reflect and become… to help set the stage and remind you of your why…. I have the gift to work with elementary and middle school student teachers who have spent their lives preparing to take on the amazing role called Teacher. You are my inspiration and it is my hope that during this semester you have many opportunities to develop your craft as a future teacher. I will be here for you along your journey… when you fall, I will help you get up; when you succeed, I will be here to help celebrate; when you question, I will listen. You are ready for this role. It will be challenging and inspiring,and sometimes frustrating and there will be times that you laugh and you cry and you wonder, and you dance with joy. There will be times when you feel like you were born to teach and there will be days when you wonder if this is what is right for you. I hope you will realize that your role as a teacher is so important; that working with young people is one of the greatest joys and sometimes heart-breaking. I am so awed to be walking this part of our journeys with you. Good luck!! Nancy Ruppert, 1/6/2023 I wrote the following song this summer as friends were leaving to move back home to Turkey.