Some day I'm gonna lay this hammer down

Imagine what school would look like if teachers could just teach?
Imagine if we could just concentrate on making learning meaningful, fun, and interesting?
Imagine if policy makers, CEOs, and politicians stopped turning our children into data points, profits and campaign donations?

Until then I'm going to keep swinging and singing Steve Earle's Hammer song.
"One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down
And I won't have to drag this weight around
When there ain't no hunger
And there ain't no pain
Then I won't have to swing this thing
One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down

Yeah, one of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down"

In between the fights for equity and justice in our public schools, communities, and nation,
I get to play the role of being the teacher,
I dream-ed, I would become,

That dream holds it all together for me.

Someday I'm gonna lay this justice hammer down.

Someday, equity and justice shall be the norm,

And I'm gonna be the teacher I was born to be everyday.

Until then I gonna weave in and out of the Good fight, and hold on to those good teaching days.

October Read-A-Thon coming on 10/30.

Got my pirate pajamas and flag all ready to go,

I'm going to lead the Wild Rumpus at the CCSU Literacy Center.

Imagine honoring children's reading choices,

Imagine endless fresh popcorn,

Imagine young readers laughing, smiling, and reading together under the tables, in the hallways, on beach blankets,

Imagine plastic gold medals,

Imagine the smiling faces of children, teachers, and parents.

Imagine letting children be children?

But, understand reading stamina, and reading for pleasure are the best ways to build new vocabulary and fluency for young readers.

We don't need your rigor,

We don't need your grit,

We build readers for life here, not readers for the test.

Can't wait until the Wild Reading Rumpus begins,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

Do you, even have to ask what tune this walking man is listening to on his walk on the Avon Mountain? Steve Earle's Hammer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx9SGI97wuU