These days, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the craziness, the frightful things going on, and the hard challenges we face individually and collectively. Yet, through it all, there are stories of individuals stepping up, acting with compassion and courage, reaching out to others, and making a difference in ways both big and small.

These stories are inspiring and important – not just as a momentary relief from the caustic interactions that make up most of the news of the day. They are inspiring in the true definition of the word because they “cause people to want to do or create something or to lead better lives.”

When we put out the call for submissions for Teaching with Heart – we asked teachers to speak about who they are, why they do what they do, and how they keep their heart and commitment alive in their teaching. We asked teachers to reflect on these questions because we believe that what inspires teachers is worth sharing.

Teaching at the core strives to create growth and transformation. It entails moving ideas, expanding skills, and creating opportunities for individual and collective growth. The etymology of inspire is literally “to blow into” and it connotes the lifting up and elevating of ideas and spirit.

Each day 3.1 million teachers “lift a lamp” in their classrooms. In the commentaries in Teaching with Heart teachers reflect on how teaching is a profession filled with inspired possibility. The tenor of these stories celebrates the tenacious and relentless optimism of teachers and their unrelenting belief that despite the many challenges and obstacles of the teaching life, much is possible.

The purpose of this blog is to provide a forum to continue this essential and meaningful conversation about what is inspiring, difficult, and meaningful in the work and life of teachers.

Here are five ways to join the conversation:

1) Send in your reflections, narratives, or stories. Share a poem that matters to you as a teacher. Describe how this poem has touched you and how it helps you make sense of your life and work as an educator.

2) Share this website with colleagues.

3) Contribute ideas on to “how to teach poetry” in the classroom. Teachers are always interested in the approaches and ideas of other teachers.

4) What are 5 things you can’t teach without? Best teaching advice you ever got? Answer these and other engaging questions in the “Work and Life of Teachers” Interviews. Encourage your fellow teachers to send in their responses. We will post these interviews each week.

5) Come up with other ideas about how to expand and deepen the conversation.

For help with your idea, story or reflection, please contact Megan Scribner at teachingwithheartfirepoetry@gmail.com. In writing the books, she has helped hundreds of teachers write about their teaching. Please reach out to her and she can help you frame and draft your post.

Happy New Year!