The Adventures of Adoption and Parenthood

We've all seen those silly memes about first world problems. "I had to tidy for the cleaning lady - first world problem." "My diamond earrings keep scratching my iPhone - first world problem." They are silly, but they are covering up some genuine first world problems. It's almost like we collectively feel guilty for any problems when there are people on the planet without clean drinking water, enough food to eat, clothes on their back or a roof over their heads. Those are the real problems in the world, not our piddly little first world problems. While those are very real problems that we should all be striving to fix, we have real first world problems too. I think it's important to call them out and talk about them so that we can address our problems too and shove them under the rug in shame. There are middle class families in America going bankrupt because of the cost of medical care. Those same families in 1950 would belong to a country club an...

This is not a political diatribe on testing, but an ode to teachers and the lifelong impact they have on our lives. As you read this, think about whether or not teachers can have this kind of impact on children if they are spending their time in test prep and test delivery. I had five teachers/professors in my life that had a major lifelong impact on me. One in elementary school, one in high school and three in college. In elementary school, my 3rd and 4th grade teacher was Ms. Randolph. She taught at Fremont Elementary in Cupertino, California. She took a personal interest in me. I remember her encouragement when I struggled with penmanship. She made me want to practice and practice so that I could please her with my improvement. She knew me so well that I was cast as the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland in the class play because I rolled my eyes a lot. At the end of the year she showed me a handwriting sample from the first day and a sample from the last day so that I could ...