Students, teachers represent what’s best about school

Without doubt, the absolute best part of my job is getting into schools to see our teachers and students in action. It motivates and inspires me to peek into a classroom and see hands in the air, backs straight, and eyes glued on the teacher. That’s exactly what I found when I walked into the third grade classroom of Mrs. Robin Fowlkes at Freedman Elementary School recently. It was clear to see that an atmosphere of mutual respect permeated the classroom, and indeed the school. Mrs. Fowlkes’ students were engaged and eagerly showed off their knowledge about the works of Charles Dickens. It was the same level of engagement, respect and energy in Ms. Laura Rita’s third grade math class. It was a proud moment for me, the teachers, the principal, and most importantly the students. As we approach the last leg of this school year, I want to encourage all of the teachers to keep up their levels of enthusiasm for your students. They are like sponges, taking it all in.

Breakfast fills belly and heart with joy

I love pancakes but this weekend my favorite breakfast fare tasted sweeter than usual when I stopped by Duggan Middle School for the school’s pancake breakfast. The special treat of the day was the maple syrup that I slathered on my short stack. It was syrup that Duggan students had made themselves – starting from the sap collection process – as part of a hands’ on science learning project. It was wonderful to see the sense of pride and accomplishment on the faces of students as hungry patrons slathered their maple syrup onto steaming hot pancakes. The budget season is in full swing here at Springfield Public Schools and every day I confront the harsh realities of the costs of education materials, salaries, keeping up with technology, and so many other critical components of education. But at Duggan School on Saturday, I was reminded that sometimes the best teaching and learning doesn’t cost big bucks but takes little more than creativity, commitment and getting your hands dirty.