Here is what has been left on the teacher's desk in the form of notes in secondgradeland by Accreditation Visiting Team members over the past three days...and the last one was delivered in person by the principal (of an east side catholic school) Team Member who has been coming in and returning and was behaving smugly with wry smiles and what I thought were offhand and overly specific questions of the students during different lessons (I dreaded whenever he came in...I was wrong in my perception. quite wrong)....

"Bonjour. Thanks for a joyful few minutes. What great transitions. The students enjoyed the movement and began their seatwork so quickly. Obviously, so motivating for the students and helping them to love numbers! Thanks, S.H."

You are a very dynamic teacher! I enjoyed watching you use so many modalities! Keep up the great work at OLF! Blessings, C.A.

You have a wonderful calming feeling about your classroom and teaching style! You keep the kids so engaged and make it very fun for them! Keep up the fantastic work! -K.S.

"You have a wonderful classroom! That lesson was amazing! Your students were very engaged! --K.S.

(This Team Member came back three times to observe and then joined us in rhythmic exercises as our math warm-up. She is a multi-sensory learning specialist at another school.) "Would you mind...do you ever have people come in and observe you? I would like to come back and spend time observing you. Do you ever teach others what you do?"

(This when I sat down at the final group meeting this afternoon, said to me by the Commissioner and Team Leader who is Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Orange)--"Oh, I have heard about you!!" Wink, wink, smile.

And finally...from the principal who kept coming in, making notes, leaving and coming back over the three days. Just watching. Then asking kids all manner of questions that were not related to the accreditation report (this I know because I was on a team recently).

"Were you just doing meditation with your students? wait, you did that yesterday, too. You do that everyday with them. Oh, yes, you do. I watched the students transition yesterday and some came in ahead of you and went right into relaxing, heads down and deep breathing. You taught them to do that? We are all amazed at the transitions, well at everything you do in here. I mean I went back yesterday and said, "she's doing meditation with her kids!" That's all the team is talking about over there---Can you believe what is going on in the Raney classroom? We can't wait to go back and see what's next? This is amazing. You do an incredible job. The lessons, the handwork, the movement, the modalities, everything.
Really. "---and he kept talking as we walked out to leave for the day.

If I had any questions about how and what I do (knowing that I am open to growing in excellence and "tools"), the Universe certainly gave me some direct answers.