"I should have saved my chalk holder and my chamois eraser," I commented to my neighbor. Not that I could use them in today's teaching world, but I could look at them fondly. I could hold them in my hand and remember the day when teaching rested on me, rather than machines, and creativity could abound. Even without codes and chat rooms.
In the afternoon I realized my National Board Teaching Certificate was about to expire. Flying into a panic, because I didn't realize it would be obsolete June 1, I entered in all the Professional Development hours I'd accrued over the years on the Illinois State Board of Education website. It took several hours to type in the title of the course, the purpose code, the description, the number of hours it met. Until I'd reached a total of 60 hours.
"Thank you," the system informed me. "Your certificate is now renewed for five years."
Five years? I thought. In five years, I'll be ought of here. And with that sentiment, with the rejoicing that sang through my heart, came a chord of sadness. Because it's one thing to be current.
But, it's totally another to be obsolete.