Crane School Blog: Focus on Learning

Featuring articles written by Crane Staffulty

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Courtney Teaching
Courtney Fleming

I don’t know about you, but my winter break was consumed with all things Frozen 2. It was the first time my toddler set foot in a movie theater and, let me tell you, it looked like the best experience of her little life so far. After we walked out of the theater, my husband and I got HOURLY requests to listen to the soundtrack. After a few days, I was so done with it; but listening to her little voice trying to figure out the words was too cute to stop, so I decided to learn the words along with her...

I don’t know about you, but my winter break was consumed with all things Frozen 2. It was the first time my toddler set foot in a movie theater and, let me tell you, it looked like the best experience of her little life so far. After we walked out of the theater, my husband and I got HOURLY requests to listen to the soundtrack. After a few days, I was so done with it; but listening to her little voice trying to figure out the words was too cute to stop, so I decided to learn the words along with her. The lyrics of one of the movie’s songs particularly stood out to me because of the pertinence to my life as a mother and as a teacher of young children. The lyrics go:

“Some things never change
Turn around in the time that's flown
Some things stay the same
Though the future remains unknown
May our good luck rest, may our past be past
Time's moving fast, it's true
Some things never change
And I'm holding on tight to you.”

Since becoming a mom, my outlook on life and my teaching philosophy has completely shifted. It has fundamentally changed how I view the world and I’ve discovered that my purpose is bigger than myself. My days are packed to the brim, but the years are flying by incredibly fast. As a result, I sometimes feel as though my head is just above water. I try to live in each moment and soak up what I can--the good and the bad.

Being a mom has forced me to live wholeheartedly in the present, which is hard when you’re a planner at heart! I feel like this rings true for many parents at Crane. I can’t believe that 8 years ago I was an intern for the current eighth-grade class. It’s hard not picturing them as my little first graders when I see them around campus. Time is fleeting, but holding on to the precious moments before your children graduate from Crane is important. I know we all value the special nature of this school, but it’s also easy to get lost in our busy day-to-day lives. So, I encourage and challenge you to live in the moment and embrace the experiences your child has at Crane.

Courtney Fleming
First Grade Co-Teacher

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