Top Three Things That Are On My Mind!

There are lots of things on my mind today, but I decided to narrow my list down to the top three:

Hill Climbing!

I am an aspiring hill killer. Yea, I want to slay hills on my bike. Whenever I see a big hill, especially during a race, it's like my brain completely panics, and I don't know what to do at all. It's really crazy. I can ride and ride strong, so what in the world happens?

I have talked to millions and millions of people, watched videos, and read blogs, thinking that there is a secret to killing hills that I just don't know. So far, I have not been able to uncover that secret trick. However, the search to uncover this magic trick continues.

I feel sort of like Santiago from The Alchemist, seeking that hidden treasure that is surely already inside of me.

I am sure that one day soon, I will be climbing a hill, and the secret to riding them will be revealed.

If you need me, you can find me on a hill, frantically searching for that hidden treasure.

SUMMER!

I just love having things to look forward to. Yea, I am very conscious about staying in the moment, but I also love excitedly anticipating NEXT.

A few weeks back, I found out that I would be presenting on Teaching Diverse Novels at the AP conference, and I have been going over, in my brain, my presentation. I have been envisioning myself standing before thousands, and this is an exaggeration, transferring my love for diverse novels to every person under the sound of my voice. My people, just thinking about the possibility of reaching teachers, who will reach students, makes my heart sooooo glad.

Also, do you remember me telling you that I applied to two summer programs? Well, I got an email yesterday stating that I was accepted to the program of my choice; I'll be at Colgate University in NY studying abolitionism and the Underground Railroad. EXCITED!!!

I instantly accepted the offer, and then I sent an email asking the director of the program about cycling possibilities, and lo and behold, he knows some cyclists and is going to connect me with them so that I can get my cycle on while in NY.

WINNING ON PURPOSE!

So, I will be studying a topic that I love and riding my bike all over Hamilton, NY.

I am looking forward to my summer community whom I can read, study, and cycle with.

NERDS ROCK!

My Village!

A few nights back, I attended a program at The National Archives on The Women of the Civil Rights Movement.  A women stood up and asked a question, and I don't remember the question, but I definitely remember the answer, and it was something like this: "What makes you (woman) think that you have to do things all by yourself. Being this Strong Black Woman is killing us. Call on your village."

This statement really stuck out to me, and I am so grateful that I have a village of people who are in my corner, and when I embark on almost anything like cycle racing, applying to a summer program, presenting at a conference, dating, having courageous conversations, I heavily lean on my village for love, support, encouragement, and whatever else that I may need to help me along the way.

I need my village!!!

What's on your mind, My People?

Happy Tuesday.....

Want to Know What's On My Mind Today?

I am dreaming of Summer.......

How quickly We Forget!!!

Do you remember me writing in another post that "Summers Make it So Worth It," and I was writing about teaching.

Well, now it's almost time for our Christmas Break, and I can barely remember the feeling that I felt when I wrote that post. In that post, I was excited that school was ending, and I was thinking about embarking upon a summer with a lot of unstructured time; I was feeling light and happy.

Now, let's go back to today. I am really enjoying this school year. I have read several novels, short stories, and poems with my students. I have done Socratic seminars, read lots of essays, thesis statements, homework, etc, and I must say that I am ready for a break. We're almost half way through the school year, and I can not remember what it felt like to do whatever I wanted to do, whenever I wanted to do it.

Glorious Summer!



I love being a teacher, but I must admit that it is ALL consuming. Yea, I get off at 1:30 every other day, and I have long breaks during the day, but when I am on; I am on.

On any given day I answer lots of emails, grade tons of papers, decide who should go to the bathroom, give lunch detentions, counsel, make decisions about grades, seating assignments, what to copy, how to convey a new concept etc. I do all of these things with grace and ease, but darn, I really do need a mental break.

Next week, I am going to Atlanta to visit my mom, and I am going to really try not to think about school, even though when we get back it will be almost time for second quarter exams, and I will be extremely busy getting students to remember what we did before the break. But, over the break, I am going to workout, read, spend time with people whom I value, and do WHATEVER, and I mean whatever I want to do. What I am looking forward to the most are naps during the day.

I think that the mind is designed to move on and focus on the right now, because the feelings that I get in the summers can not be conjured right now.....

Just thinking............How quickly we forget!

However, look at what showed up in my room when I needed it the most to remind me of how great RIGHT NOW is:

Students dressed as Santa and Elves!

What a Great Reminder!!!!!!!

Enjoy your holidays.

Screaming "SUMMERS MAKE IT SOOOOO WORTH IT"



That's me on the far right. HAPPY that IT'S SUMMER!



Wednesday was the last day of school for students, Thursday was our graduation ceremony that is held ever year at the wonderful Constitutional Hall, and Friday was the last day for us teachers. WOOOOHOOO

Now, I know that there are people who wonder, "What do teachers do in the summer?" No, we don't think about the kids, no, we don't plan for the next year, and not all of us work other jobs. Many of us spend the summer just plain relishing in the idea that we do not have to be the leader for awhile.

Me, I am a sucker for learning so, I have spent many summers participating in National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars with teachers from all over the place. Well, not actually from all over the place, but all over the United States.

I spent a summer in Amherst, Massachusetts studying Crime and Punishment, I spent a summer in Eatonville, Florida studying Zora Neale Hurston,  and last summer I was in Chicago studying Blacks in Politics etc. So, you can see, there are countless numbers of educational opportunities for teachers in the summer that are in wonderful places. These opportunities can almost be looked at as a two for one: get your studying on and get your partying on.

However, there are other teachers who go backpacking in Ireland, touring Europe, exploring Australia, and even vacationing for the entire summer in Sunny Florida.

This summer I am not doing anything educational, and at first I was a little nervous about this, but I did a little pre-planning. I planted a garden to take up some time, have mapped out all of the things that I will do in the DC area, have several trips planned mostly for pleasure, except when I go to San Francisco to present at the Advanced Placement (AP) conference where I am sure I will make time for pleasure. But, as sure as my name is Jacqueline Stallworth, I will spend plenty of time running, hiking, biking, planning tennis and most importantly, spending time with people whom I care about.

Normally, when I tell people that I am a teacher, I get the "How do you do it? "Kids are so bad today."  Blah, blah, blah. But, I normally just smile and scream in my head "SUMMERS MAKE IT SOOOOO WORTH IT!"