the power of a teacher

What an amazing morning with Mandi Burlin and the staff and teachers at Still Creek Ranch!  We were also blessed to be joined by a few fine folks from Lindale ISD.  One of the nice things about doing the Power of a Teacher workshops in smaller groups is that we are able to go deeper into discussion.  I so appreciate everyone’s willingness to be transparent and discuss both their hopes and struggles as educators.  Sure hope I get a chance to spend a day with these amazing people again sometime in the future!

What a thrill to share my story and The Power of a Teacher with Deborah Duncan on Great Day Houston.  You can check out my segment here:  http://www.khou.com/great-day/videos/gdh_9-17-12_seg3-170048726.html.

Thank you to all who have responded with such kind and encouraging words to my recent blog in the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-saenz/from-jail-to-harvard-why-_b_1747252.html   Thanks to the superintendents of Katy ISD (Dr. Alton Frailey), Bryan ISD (Dr. Thomas Wallace), and College Station ISD (Dr. Eddie Coulson) who have shared the article district-wide to encourage both teachers and parents.

August has been a wonderful month of travel across Texas: encouraging teachers to teach and love boldly!  I have interacted with many teachers on many campuses who are experiencing authentic community with their colleagues, and I just don’t know that there’s much more a teacher (any professional, for that matter) can ask for relationally.

The kids are back on campuses now, so we’re officially off and running.  I have substitute teacher training next week.  I’m trusting that your thoughts and prayers will be with me!!

Call it my version of stopping to smell the roses–capturing sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise over Clear Lake

What a great day with Deer Park ISD staff at the Nassau Bay Hilton this week.  This was the view from the 8th floor that morning.

Sunset Over Robstown, Texas

Later that day, I drove to Robstown, Texas to be part of their back-to-school convocation the next day.  Good times.

My friend Jeremy Stewart, a special education teacher, has partnered with teachers in Villa Nueva for the past two years.  Villa Neuva is a small, economically-disadvantaged village in Guatemala.  As you might imagine, teachers in Villa Nueva’s school face incredible challenges.  Many parents do not want to send their children to school for fear of gang violence.

This summer,  Jeremy was invited to provide multi-faceted, regional staff development, wth topics including classroom leadership and student motivation.  As a teacher in an Adaptive Behavior classroom, Jeremy has developed effective skill sets in those areas.  In addition, Jeremy led teachers in an exploration of their occupational, emotional, and spiritual well being based on The Power of a Teacher book, challenging them to take good care of themselves as they engaged  their calling.

One of the trainers was a film student studying in Los Angeles who made this video about the school: http://www.youtube.com/watch?=GY3iz_BQkGo&feature=share