Our Time Will Come

OUR TIME WILL COME
Elizabeth Renaud

“Hace mucho frio siempre aqui en New Hampshire!”

“A glorious summer day in New Hampshire, they won’t last long, enjoy it while you can!”

Two groups of people in the exact same place, with the exact same weather, but with very different interpretations of the situation.

This got me thinking about the Writing Institute. While we are all teachers, we come to the Institute with very different interpretations of our situations. So many variables from different levels of classrooms, different subjects, different ages, even different segments of the population, are sitting right beside us in the Explorations, Inquiry, and Writing groups. As these differences challenge us, they also become the foundations for us to find common ground. As we discuss and get to know one another, some may not understand what goes on in a 1st grade class, but we learn the teaching practices are the same. We begin to connect on deeper levels. We begin to recognize and realize our goals are the same -- to become better teachers, better writers, better listeners for our students. The differences allow us to practice empathy, become more aware that not everyone is like us. We are learning to be open, to allow others their space, and to sit with it -- no judgement, no suggestions, no conditions -- it just is.

To our Dominican friends from your New Hampshire friends - we do understand cold, believe me, we do - just not at this time of year. While we bask in the relative warmth of 71 degrees, we will hand you a sweater knowing our time will come.