Five different schools and countless classroom moves over the years…

And I am still not sure I have mastered the art of packing lightly.

Yesterday as I packed up my office I tried to clean out, really I did. I even did a bit of a clean up a few weeks ago. Dumping old files and paperwork. Organizing professional reading and binders of curriculum resources. Somehow I still managed to fill up two car loads with boxes over the last two days as I moved out.

Most of it I don’t feel I can do without. I use the books and files and resources that fill those boxes in my work every day.

When I teacher asks me if I have something to teach innovation I pull out my curriculum materials from The Henry Ford.

When someone wants research on homework I can pull out my file and the book, Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs. 

When I do a professional development session on teacher leadership I can grab my file of Teacher Leader Competencies from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

When I am working on scope and sequence in science I can refer to my binder of NGSS Standards and the file of curriculum docs from great independent schools and school districts.

The teacher that needs the perfect essential question for studying cultures? Well she could use those EQ’s in my UbD binder.

That crazy blue cardboard thing on the bulletin board? Its George Washington. A gift from my then second grader.

That post-it note that says “Award for Presidential Love?” It’s kind of a big deal, don’t ya know? From a group of teacher institute friends.

And that bunny. Well, you know Moffat.

I need all that stuff to do my work effectively, to be a resource to the teachers around me, to spur new ideas and write curriculum.

I need it all to remind me of my passions.

So, those boxes are going with me.