handwritten on June 24, 2018
As a native Pittsburgher I grew up on the couch watching Mr. Rogers. I remember the land of make believe, the trolley sound effects and Mr. Rogers himself. As a young child at face value, he was a happy man who seemed to go through the world with the playfulness of a child. I viewed the land of Make Believe as incredibly creative, and I enjoyed all the tiny lessons Mr. Rogers taught throughout the entirety of his show. I traveled to a movie theater in Pittsburgh today, and I watched a documentary about him for the first time, and I was brought to tears. I was brought to tears for a few reasons which are hard to put into words, but I will do my best here:
1. There are genuinely decent...
handwritten on February 7, 2018
As a teacher, I think we become bogged down by a lot of paperwork and decisions. I make so many tiny decisions throughout the day, I think sometimes we have to realize that it isn't the decision that is going to bring joy and love, it is the person behind the decision. For example, I can make a decision to have the students use highlighters instead of pen to underline. However, if the teacher isn't delivering the article with love, both the highlighter and the pen are unecessary. I think sometimes we stress so much the mere decisions that could alter the day, that we forget that the joy and love and faith behind the decision far outway the actual decision. Decision-making is difficult. It...
handwritten on January 21, 2018
Below is the rewritten version of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" Speech written by my third grade students. This is a beautiful example of love and their beautiful perspective on such a complex topic.
Group One: We are happy to be here. We gather here today under the statue of slavery. It is a hundred years later and blacks are still in slavery. We suffer because we are different from white. They are on an island and are surrounded by people that is rich, wealthy and greedy. The white people get homes and we get ghettos.
Group Two: Today white and black people are treated more fair, but long in the past they weren't treated fairly. They had to ride at the back of the bus, drink at...
handwritten on December 29, 2017
Though this past year has been less than easy, there are many lessons that have been learned throughout the year. They are simple statements and realizations-certainly nothing fancy. However, nevertheless, still important to share.
Help others, but be sure to take care of yourself
Find peace in small places
Write about your experiences
Analyze the happy moments
Realize that small problems are just small problems
Find peace through activity
Find peace in small unexpected places
Take time to think-through coffee particularly
Realize that you cannot fix every problem and that is okay
Set small goals as they are things to look forward to
Learn something new: self-teaching helps you to see the...
handwritten on August 4, 2017
WHERE LEARNING BEGINS...
Inspired by Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Written by Brianna Amoscato
There is a place where the fields glisten and learning begins
And ideas breathe under the rising sun’s glow
And there tiny seeds learn their might
And there the roots become wings and begin to take flight
And there the chalkboard pavement cares not who is right
Feathers drift to where they don’t normally go
Let us learn to hug dark clouds of mistakes
Travel where the bark unravels and bends
Through the painted fences we begin to walk
We shall smile at the chipped paint and open the locks
And fly with the birds we created with chalk
To the place where learning begins
Yes we’ll...
