Skip to main content

Hopes and Dreams

I am a teacher in a public charter school in Washington, DC. The academic year is underway as we prepare to enter our third week of school. The students and teachers are still readjusting from the restful and thoughtful summer. As we do every year, we set out our Hopes and Dreams, helping all of us to focus on how we will have a successful school year. Yet, this year was a bit different. We had a Hope and Dreams Balloon Launch! All of the students on Leadership Hall wrote their academic hopes and dreams as well as their social hopes and dreams. After carefully drafting and editing them, they put them on sticky notes, carefully folded them, and stuffed them in balloons. We blew them up with a helium tank and walked outside to our rather large play yard. All fifth and sixth grade classes came out with their balloons in hand. It was such a sight to see. They were so excited, as well as the teachers! They yelled a harambe poem in unison. I then stood in the middle of all the classes and told them how proud we were of them and of all the things they would accomplish. I also encouraged them to take the moment seriously. I told them to let their balloons go on the count of three. "One-two-three!" The balloons were off to who knows where...maybe parts of DC, Maryland, or even Virginia! The kids were jumping up and down, screaming, watching their hopes and dreams fly off into the air as they claimed victory for themselves. It was an incredible moment!

My kids are in Georgia right now. I will be going to pick them up in a few days. Guess what is one of the first things we will do? Get our own Hopes and Dreams going. I know my boys are going to lose their minds as they see their balloons fly off into the air.

Ideas are everywhere. Take time to look around and see what would benefit you and the lives of your families. Lend me your thoughts and tell me how you inspire yourself and your family. There is no off season in my learning...

Comments

  1. HeatherThursday, September 03, 2009

    Dij,
    What an awesome moment. Tears filled my eyes as I visualized what they may have looked like. That was a great idea. You will never know the impact that that moment had on those children. ...life changing!! Hats off to you!
    By the way, I'm lovin your blog!! Keep 'em coming.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Before you go, I have to tell you this...

My wife and oldest son had been feverishly preparing for this for over two years. A sojourn to Egypt is what monopolized the attention of this house for about the past week. We've been packing, buying last minute items, and anticipating an almost 24-hour travel. As my wife was packing at the gorgeous time of 4:15 am, I was writing some thoughts to my son. I was giving him advice-technical, moral, physical, and spiritual advice. Even while cutting his hair last night, I was advising him. At the end of the letter, I gave him my blessing. I wrote a letter to Paula as well. And just like the one to my son, I gave her the same type of advice, just more seasoned for her needs. And at the end of the letter, I gave her my blessing. I packed the letters away in their suitcases. They won't see them until they reach their hotel in Egypt. I learned and was reminded of a couple of things from their upcoming experience. First, perseverance has its rewards. They stuck this program out fo...
7 comments
Read more

It's What's Best For You

I had to have a serious talk with my boys tonight.  I had been noticing some facets of their character that I did not think was necessarily wrong, but it was not what I think was the best.  So just before they went to bed, we had a Five Minute Blitz (our version of a devotional). As many of you know, I am really working hard to build our famliy on the standards of the Bible.  Well, the backdrop for this conversation stemmed from an abbreviated Deuteronomy 10:12-13: "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God...to love Him...and to observe the Lord's commands that I am giving you today for your own good?" I have been noticing that they were not giving their full potential in their everyday lives.  Yes, they are boys...young boys at that.  Yet, I know what they are capable of.  I now understand why my dad pushed me so hard.  He encouraged me (made me) to do chores, to wake up early (6am.....
4 comments
Read more

But I Need My Car!

It turned out to be a day of running around the city.  I took care of my minivan; the 'check engine' light was on for the last two days.  So, I dropped the kids off at school, drove to 7-11 to get my coffee and donut, and went to the auto repair shop.  The repair man checks the car and begins giving me an oil change.  He comes back in with the bolt that seals the oil pan and says its damaged.  "You need to get it replaced."  he said. "Okay", I responded as I am sipping my coffee. About three minutes later, he returns and says, "We have to replace the entire oil pan because it is damaged.  I cannot let you drive off with it in this condition.  What are you gonna do?" I'm thinking to myself, "What do you mean, 'What am I gonna do?  I have no car!'"  I begin calling my wife only to remember that she was in an all day conference-I could only text her.  Meanwhile, the repairmen comes back in the room and says to me in his...
4 comments
Read more