Wow!!! You've gotta watch this!

I was over at lifelong playdate the other day and watched this You Tube clip. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since! (Thanks again for posting it, Amanda.) I left her a mammoth comment which I joked was more like a post. haha! What can I say? It's the teacher in me. The teacher in me who has been on "hiatus" for almost five years raising my kiddos. I'm actually getting back in the saddle a little earlier than expected due to these "crazy economic times". I put in a sub application this past week. I know...I'm brave! But I figured it's a good way to get my foot back in the door and hopefully secure a full time position for next year IF we end up staying here. (And that is a BIG IF.)

SO if you have 20 minutes, you've gotta watch this clip. It reminded me of why I wanted to go into education...to make a difference, encourage students, help them to reach their full potential, discover their talents. It's heartbreaking that our education system has become so focused on test scores that imagination and creativity are often stifled. I loved when he said "Creativity and literacy should have the same status." They really should.

I grew up singing and dancing and acting - I can't help but incorporate those things into my teaching style. That's just part of who I am. I think more teachers would love to integrate the arts into their classroom if they were encouraged to do so.

In the clip, Sir Ken Robinson tells a a story about Gillian Lynne, a famous Broadway choreographer, that really struck me. Must be the dance teacher in me...