Monday, September 3, 2012

The Eve of the First Day

School starts tomorrow...for the kids. Teachers have been back a week now, and I've been back since...well, let's just leave it at that.

It's a rainy day here. A good day to go to the gym and then reward myself with a trip to Starbucks to replenish all those calories I just burned off. I started going to the gym again last year. I had just finished my doctorate and was carrying a load of laundry upstairs when I realized I had gotten winded from that simple task. Since walking on a treadmill is as entertaining as watching paint dry, I decided to go for the classes. I've done a pretty good job at it, too. I get to the gym two, sometimes three times a week. It's actually a good reason to leave work at a decent time.

I won't lie. There are some days when I did not want to go to the gym. It may have been too cold, too rainy, or just too crummy a day to imagine stopping at the gym before going home to a nice meal, a comfy couch, and some brain rot on the television. I got there anyways. I can't say it was due to intrinsic motivation either...

It had everything to do with the people who teach those classes. They motivate me when I'm there; and I feel I let them down when I don't show up. They took the time to learn my name...not easy for an introvert. They make me a better person.

What will you do to welcome students into your building in such a way that will make them want to come on a regular basis, and more importantly, want to do their best when they are there?

No comments:

Post a Comment