It has taken me a week to finally process my spiritual experience from last weekend’s NJPAECET2 conference. Yes, I use the word spiritual, because eventhougth this was a professional conference, it elevated each and every soul that attended.

As I review the many Twitter & blog reflections from last weekend, the resounding message seems to support the theme of “go forth and prosper”. All that attended the NJPAECET2 weekend left there with a call to action to bring the message of “connectiveness” back to our school communities.  Connectiveness with our students, reaching them on a deeper level, because as keynote Baruti Kafele (@PrincipalKafele) stated, “classroom climate and culture eats effective teaching strategies for breakfast”.  Connectiveness with our colleagues, opening our doors to share, grow, and create a strong positive school climate for our students.  Principal Gemar Mills (@PrincipalMills), the closing keynote, brought it together with his analogy that “teachers are like doctors, we can save lives too!“

This week, I have returned back to my school community with a new level of purposefulness and drive.  Even though I have understood my passion for what I do each day, I didn’t understand the clear message of my mission…now, I do.