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Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

Lunar New Year arrives on February 1st. 2022's Water Tiger promises to purge evil and restore balance and self-esteem. I know I'm ready for that energy. How about you?

We are coming up on two years of pandemic life and all that that has entailed. Personally, I'm exhausted. My students and parents, more so. I can't remember a time since I started teaching in 2002 that I've seen so many promising kids so demoralized or so many families struggling in so many ways. The myriad letdowns they've experienced at the hands of the American "educational system," specifically, is depressing to consider, not just what's happened since 2020, but what 2020 revealed about our deficits in education generally. Everybody I work with--and I certainly include the teachers in that--needs a breath of fresh air.

The tiger is one of those amazing universal symbols that, regardless of cultural background, evokes energy, power, and ferocity. His orange color is like a flame burning in the dark jungle. That's how William Blake saw him in the earliest poem I ever memorized, "The Tyger." He's agile in all states of matter: running, swimming, or flying in his courageous leaps. His powerful strides create a path for others to follow.

I could sure use some of that fierceness to sweep away the stagnant energy of 2021. What a slog that felt like! I'm so ready to be outside, go on new adventures, create new projects, work with new students. My students crave opportunities for growth and development.

However, the water tiger also brings us stability, for he controls his power, using it sagely. The tiger is a mature king, not leaping every which way there's a challenge or distraction. We need badly to sit outside without devices, center ourselves, and act from a place of empowerment, not turmoil.

My students, families, and I are taking this journey together, and I'm so thrilled to see what this Tiger energy in the house does for us!


If you enjoyed this post, please visit my website at www.georgiagelmis.com to find out how I can help your student. Email contact@georgiagelmis.com, phone 917-574-8662.

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