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180 Days: Ode to my students | Gregor Trpin | TEDxManhattanBeach


180 that’s how many days we spend

180 that’s how many days we spend together you and me

together you and me

together you and me weathering through every storm cloud or

weathering through every storm cloud or

weathering through every storm cloud or rainbow on the undulating ocean of

rainbow on the undulating ocean of

rainbow on the undulating ocean of Education I’ll be your English teacher

Education I’ll be your English teacher

Education I’ll be your English teacher accompanying you on this year’s journey

accompanying you on this year’s journey

accompanying you on this year’s journey I’m mr. Turpin September curious eyes

I’m mr. Turpin September curious eyes

I’m mr. Turpin September curious eyes fresh school supplies teachers

fresh school supplies teachers

fresh school supplies teachers mesmerized October roll the dice

mesmerized October roll the dice

mesmerized October roll the dice somebody’s got lice Halloween please

somebody’s got lice Halloween please

somebody’s got lice Halloween please don’t scream November December January

don’t scream November December January

don’t scream November December January customary semester ends lost your

customary semester ends lost your

customary semester ends lost your pencils and pens on a social media

pencils and pens on a social media

pencils and pens on a social media cleanse February March April painful May

cleanse February March April painful May

cleanse February March April painful May state tests fatigue manifests braces

state tests fatigue manifests braces

state tests fatigue manifests braces pimples on faces cellphones hormones

pimples on faces cellphones hormones

pimples on faces cellphones hormones June you’re singing a new tune students

June you’re singing a new tune students

June you’re singing a new tune students over the moon 180 days a maze full of

over the moon 180 days a maze full of

over the moon 180 days a maze full of essays birthdays and cupcakes but 180

essays birthdays and cupcakes but 180

essays birthdays and cupcakes but 180 has a deeper mystery the cookie cutter

has a deeper mystery the cookie cutter

has a deeper mystery the cookie cutter depiction is really just fiction for

depiction is really just fiction for

depiction is really just fiction for what I actually see in the history of

what I actually see in the history of

what I actually see in the history of our year September I see you had two

our year September I see you had two

our year September I see you had two tests before my class and your brain is

tests before my class and your brain is

tests before my class and your brain is on the verge of frying I see the thought

on the verge of frying I see the thought

on the verge of frying I see the thought of losing that a is terrifying I see

of losing that a is terrifying I see

of losing that a is terrifying I see that flawless image on Instagram you’re

that flawless image on Instagram you’re

that flawless image on Instagram you’re trying to create I see her scared of

trying to create I see her scared of

trying to create I see her scared of having the right clothes the right body

having the right clothes the right body

having the right clothes the right body the right weight October

the right weight October

the right weight October I see you’ve crammed all night preparing

I see you’ve crammed all night preparing

I see you’ve crammed all night preparing for that exam I see you’re over worried

for that exam I see you’re over worried

for that exam I see you’re over worried over anxious over planned November

over anxious over planned November

over anxious over planned November December January I see your home from a

December January I see your home from a

December January I see your home from a three-hour practice in your home work

three-hour practice in your home work

three-hour practice in your home work has just begun

has just begun

has just begun I see the pressure your parents put on

I see the pressure your parents put on

I see the pressure your parents put on you to be ahead of everyone February

you to be ahead of everyone February

you to be ahead of everyone February March April I see this town this

March April I see this town this

March April I see this town this bubbling hub of social events and

bubbling hub of social events and

bubbling hub of social events and activity but all you need is a friend I

activity but all you need is a friend I

activity but all you need is a friend I see you excited to see your dad because

see you excited to see your dad because

see you excited to see your dad because it’s finally the weekend may I see you

it’s finally the weekend may I see you

it’s finally the weekend may I see you in class sitting all alone

in class sitting all alone

in class sitting all alone I see you feel misunderstood disregarded

I see you feel misunderstood disregarded

I see you feel misunderstood disregarded and disowned June I see you’re panicked

and disowned June I see you’re panicked

and disowned June I see you’re panicked about being called something you are not

about being called something you are not

about being called something you are not I see your mind fixed on grandma in

I see your mind fixed on grandma in

I see your mind fixed on grandma in heaven because you miss her a lot

heaven because you miss her a lot

heaven because you miss her a lot I see you caught between two fighting

I see you caught between two fighting

I see you caught between two fighting friends both of whom you love praying

friends both of whom you love praying

friends both of whom you love praying just get along

ready for class everyone you see what’s

ready for class everyone you see what’s wrong friends tests parents society

wrong friends tests parents society

wrong friends tests parents society expectation social media competition we

expectation social media competition we

expectation social media competition we come with baggage on this expedition

come with baggage on this expedition

come with baggage on this expedition I know it’s unpleasant but if we ignore

I know it’s unpleasant but if we ignore

I know it’s unpleasant but if we ignore the truth you’ll never be present how

the truth you’ll never be present how

the truth you’ll never be present how can students engage if they’re locked in

can students engage if they’re locked in

can students engage if they’re locked in that cage 180 chances to connect with

that cage 180 chances to connect with

that cage 180 chances to connect with you if I don’t there won’t be any

you if I don’t there won’t be any

you if I don’t there won’t be any Content I teach that will ever get

Content I teach that will ever get

Content I teach that will ever get through but what if 180 really means

through but what if 180 really means

through but what if 180 really means opportunity how about a community in my

opportunity how about a community in my

opportunity how about a community in my English class where everyone gets a fast

English class where everyone gets a fast

English class where everyone gets a fast pass to a fail-safe mindful space

pass to a fail-safe mindful space

pass to a fail-safe mindful space someplace the pace and the race to fit

someplace the pace and the race to fit

someplace the pace and the race to fit in and keep trace of social disgrace is

in and keep trace of social disgrace is

in and keep trace of social disgrace is vacant adjacent to the scene of gossip

vacant adjacent to the scene of gossip

vacant adjacent to the scene of gossip machines and discipline Dean’s a space

machines and discipline Dean’s a space

machines and discipline Dean’s a space where ideas can be embraced commonplace

where ideas can be embraced commonplace

where ideas can be embraced commonplace showcased a place where we can accept

showcased a place where we can accept

showcased a place where we can accept that we all have baggage

that we all have baggage

that we all have baggage and that’s the gold that’s our life’s

and that’s the gold that’s our life’s

and that’s the gold that’s our life’s experiences to behold

experiences to behold

experiences to behold forget the old-school reality suck it up

forget the old-school reality suck it up

forget the old-school reality suck it up mentality it’s through our accepted

mentality it’s through our accepted

mentality it’s through our accepted individuality that we can heal nurture

individuality that we can heal nurture

individuality that we can heal nurture learn share if we use it for something

learn share if we use it for something

learn share if we use it for something good maybe it will enrich the class our

good maybe it will enrich the class our

good maybe it will enrich the class our work and our welfare because after all

work and our welfare because after all

work and our welfare because after all we’re perfectly designed but not all

we’re perfectly designed but not all

we’re perfectly designed but not all aligned perfectly cracked but lovely and

aligned perfectly cracked but lovely and

aligned perfectly cracked but lovely and abstract perfectly broken but hearts

abstract perfectly broken but hearts

abstract perfectly broken but hearts wide open somehow left in shapes that

wide open somehow left in shapes that

wide open somehow left in shapes that all fit together perfectly but never

all fit together perfectly but never

all fit together perfectly but never perfect so even with all the baggage and

perfect so even with all the baggage and

perfect so even with all the baggage and my perception I see perfection so I’m

my perception I see perfection so I’m

my perception I see perfection so I’m gonna listen to what you need and what

gonna listen to what you need and what

gonna listen to what you need and what you say I’m not going to keep what I see

you say I’m not going to keep what I see

you say I’m not going to keep what I see inside every day if we need to come in

inside every day if we need to come in

inside every day if we need to come in and put our heads down and take that

and put our heads down and take that

and put our heads down and take that mindful minute it won’t mean you’re

mindful minute it won’t mean you’re

mindful minute it won’t mean you’re lacking the drive the determination or

lacking the drive the determination or

lacking the drive the determination or the grit and if you come to class

the grit and if you come to class

the grit and if you come to class bearing your life’s heavy weight why not

bearing your life’s heavy weight why not

bearing your life’s heavy weight why not take the road less traveled take a

take the road less traveled take a

take the road less traveled take a breath and meditate all the dirt you

breath and meditate all the dirt you

breath and meditate all the dirt you were told not to drag in that door yes

were told not to drag in that door yes

were told not to drag in that door yes it’s welcome here to maybe write a poem

it’s welcome here to maybe write a poem

it’s welcome here to maybe write a poem about inspire a story not ignore let’s

about inspire a story not ignore let’s

about inspire a story not ignore let’s customize prioritize and energize our

customize prioritize and energize our

customize prioritize and energize our lessons to reflect our authentic lives

lessons to reflect our authentic lives

lessons to reflect our authentic lives and create powerful learning sessions

and create powerful learning sessions

and create powerful learning sessions but wait mr. Turpin we don’t have the

but wait mr. Turpin we don’t have the

but wait mr. Turpin we don’t have the time well sometimes your agenda has to

time well sometimes your agenda has to

time well sometimes your agenda has to supersede mine but our schedules our

supersede mine but our schedules our

supersede mine but our schedules our lives our plans sometimes life throws us

lives our plans sometimes life throws us

lives our plans sometimes life throws us curveballs that are out of our hands but

curveballs that are out of our hands but

curveballs that are out of our hands but don’t worry I promise you’ll see we’ll

don’t worry I promise you’ll see we’ll

don’t worry I promise you’ll see we’ll still get to where we need to be by day

still get to where we need to be by day

still get to where we need to be by day 180 I know it’s a mindset shift but we

180 I know it’s a mindset shift but we

180 I know it’s a mindset shift but we all know education needs a little lift

all know education needs a little lift

all know education needs a little lift once we come in that door we will

once we come in that door we will

once we come in that door we will connect on the goodness knowledge brings

connect on the goodness knowledge brings

connect on the goodness knowledge brings us and more there may be a risk but how

us and more there may be a risk but how

us and more there may be a risk but how can we ignore the treasures that are out

can we ignore the treasures that are out

can we ignore the treasures that are out there and the opportunities in store I’m

there and the opportunities in store I’m

there and the opportunities in store I’m here

here

here on this journey with you you’re not

on this journey with you you’re not

on this journey with you you’re not alone your experiences ideas and

alone your experiences ideas and

alone your experiences ideas and learning are yours to own on a throne

learning are yours to own on a throne

learning are yours to own on a throne like a king or queen of potential

like a king or queen of potential

like a king or queen of potential essential to craft and draft and chisel

essential to craft and draft and chisel

essential to craft and draft and chisel into a sizzling fire that’s my desire

into a sizzling fire that’s my desire

into a sizzling fire that’s my desire 180 times let’s agree walk in my class

180 times let’s agree walk in my class

180 times let’s agree walk in my class and concede that 180 really has a

and concede that 180 really has a

and concede that 180 really has a beautiful simplicity the door is open

beautiful simplicity the door is open

beautiful simplicity the door is open set sail here you are free thank you

”

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