The day I met a hero

As an undergraduate education student at Saint Mary's, I absolutely loved reading The Freedom Writers Diary with my education group. The words that teacher Erin Gruwell's students wrote resonated with so many of us who wanted to become teachers. For me, it was a powerful reminder that we often don't know what goes on in the lives of our students. And it also reminded me that our students need a chance to express themselves. 

Today, I got to meet Erin Gruwell. IN THE FLESH. AND WE HUGGED! 

There is nothing cooler than meeting someone you admire so much. With the exception of my fantastic teachers and professors (of which there are many), there aren't a lot of well-known role models in the education field. Gruwell is someone I aspire to be like. I want my students to feel in my classroom the way her students did in hers. 

Erin Gruwell!

Afterward, she signed copies of our books, and we got to speak to her for a few minutes. I told her what an inspiration she was to me, and she told me she was just an English teacher, just like me. I think I love her even more now! Serious gratitude for meeting her today! 

Today I am grateful for:
1. Meeting Erin Gruwell
2. Lunch with my mom, my coworker Judi, and her daughter Sarah
3. A garage to park in (I love not scraping a car in the morning!)
4. Air-popped popcorn
5. A built in workout buddy in Dan (I couldn't ask for a better partner!)