Kerry is a high school history teacher. Chance is a fifth grade teacher.
They are cousins. They talk to each other over email.
This is the place to follow their year-long journey through one school year.
Teaching is rewarding and full of interesting challenges.
Navigating school district politics is difficult and grueling.
If you missed earlier episodes, the best way to binge-read Scrambling for Voice, Choice, and Agency is to use this Table of Contents link to previous posts.
Fear not: If you miss reading some episodes of this serial story, you can still pick up the action.
Episode 47 of 49 episodes
From: Chance
You won’t believe this……
To: Kerry sent - Gmail at 3:51 PM
Hi Kerry—
You may have thought yesterday was action packed…You should have been there today. It was action packed times ten…maybe times 100….
The history simulation went just like yesterday. The way the kids portrayed the next hundred years was fantastic.
I could go on and on about the kids…but I have to get to the dramatic ending…
During lunch, we were taking down the sets and the backdrops. I stood on a school table (not a card table)….The table upended….As I went down, I got tangled up in some chairs and a desk or two. I ended up breaking my leg……bad…bone sticking out of the skin bad….intense pain….someone called 911…sirens…paramedics….more sirens as I was rushed to the hospital…my favorite pants were cut from my body……
I am about to go into surgery….
How dramatic is that for the culmination of a month of learning??
Chance
–—
From: Kerry
Re: You won’t believe this……
To: Chance sent - Gmail 6:22 PM
Hi Chance—
What?!? NO! I can’t believe it!
Is it too soon to make jokes?? I can see the headline:
Cheap School Furniture Turns Against Teacher Trying to Leave the Profession
What can I do to help you?
I was about to send you a “You won’t believe this……” email of my own.
Emerson, from the Chamber of Commerce, turns out to be the CEO of a local tech company. After my speech, she went to her Board and convinced them to adopt my school.
The company is going to give us $100,000 for general fund operations for next year….I am fantasizing about hiring more staff and planning for targeted staff development……We might have enough money to send everyone to the Teacher Powered School conference in the fall.
The staff is going to go wild when they hear the news.
The company is also offering to mentor us in management innovation. They have been very successful in flattening the hierarchy at their company and want to share their business structure with us.
The business is totally focused on creating a successful future. They think that their dedication to building and sustaining their company using organizational and product innovation is a model for public schools in the democracy……
The best part: no contingencies….We do not need to endorse them or use their products……This will be a true partnership.
Let me know when you feel up to having visitors….When will you get released? I am available to help all weekend….
Kerry
Magical realism? Love happy endings😁🤸🏽♂️