Making It Work

On Thursday, I decided to take a trip to the local Trader Joe's.  After shopping and loading my groceries into the car, I realized that I could not get out because there were two women fighting over the parking space behind me, blocking my ability to back up.  One was in her car, the other, standing in the parking space, telling the other driver that she would have to run over her to get the parking space.  After letting them scream (to the point that it was audible to me, in my car, with closed doors and windows), I got out.  I informed the ladies that I would be pulling out, if they would move and let me, and that one of them could have the space across from me, and one of them could have the space I was vacating.  They stared blankly at me, and then started arguing with each other about which one would be moving.  I was dumbfounded.  Hadn't I just come up with a solution?!  Eventually, I informed them that they were welcome to keep arguing, but could they PLEASE MOVE so I could go home?  They finally, grudgingly, obliged me.

Finding solutions isn't always easy.  It isn't always a "win-win" situation, and even if it is, it isn't always a "win" to the point that one might want it to be.  On Friday, I discussed this situation with one of my classes, who found it to be ridiculous.  "A parking space isn't worth your life!" said one of my students.

Fast forward to after class, when my Assistant principal dropped by my room.  "What else can you do?" she asked.  "I want to see if we can find a way to keep you and at least finish out the Latin program....Can you teach History?  What about French?"  

I can, indeed, do both of these things.  Man, was I glad to see that my school leadership is working on a solution.  It's Hard, but they are going to great lengths to save the Latin program.  I was amazed to see this happening, rather than them just saying "Oh well...." as many other Admins would have.

In class, I endeavor to teach my students that finding solutions isn't always simple.  It requires work, thinking, and moving pieces around to make the correct things happen.  

How do we teach both the students and ourselves to FIND the solutions?