Leaving for the workshop yesterday, I was already excited because I was going to spend the night with Warbler, who was my teaching partner when I first moved to this area. We hadn't seen each other for years, and when she saw my name on the notice for the workshop, she called me to invite me to stay with her.
We had a great evening reminicing about the children we worked with, swopping work stories, testing each other to see if our philosophies still meshed as well as they did (they do), and catching up on personal stories. I knew when I finally crashed last night that, whatever the rest of the group was like, I could always pitch to Warbler. We began the session today with a "Mingling" activity, and in the middle of it, Brandy, one of my all-time favorite CDA students came up behind me! What a blessing! Warbler and Brandy in the same room! I think I did one my best presentations because those two were there. I consider myself an "Early Childhood" professional, but I have to admit I get a great deal of pleasure teaching adults. And these two are examples of one of the reasons I do. Not only are they innately great teachers of the young, but they are eager and enthusiastic about learning new and better ways to do it. And when they share stories about what is happening in their work lives (Brandy is now teaching 3-year olds...a departure for her, and Warbler is the Education Coordinator for her program), and their faces shine and voices warm with the excitement of it, I am gratified that I had a chance to get to know them. The books from my parents' group, and the one portfolio with journal pages that a parent allowed me to share, were an enormous hit. The sharing that we all did after lunch was exciting, and I came away feeling good that our program is in good hands. Lunch was another happy occasion. Brandy, Warbler, and I ate together (one of Brandy's co-workers that is new to their program joined us), and talked and talked about old times, about ideas, thoughts, worries, shared pictures, and generally soaked up each other's company. Brandy and Warbler had never met before, but I knew they would hit it off. Both have a penchant for bursting into song in their classes, both are crazy about handmade things, both are excellent teachers, and both have wonderful "Bed-and-Breakfasts" for their white-haired friend when she needs one. There were a lot of jokes about that! So I soared home along that lonely 4-laned highway that usually goes on forever and ever. This profession has been very good to me, in knowledge gained, in compensation, and particularly in the friendships I've made. How fortunate I am!
I got through this week inspite of myself. Tomorrow I have one more big training, but that's all planned and the actual work is being shared with two women from our ed department, so I don't have the total burden. I just have to think of something to feed our priest when he comes for dinner that evening! A minor problem (I hope).
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