As a teacher I often think, “If only I could reach this student or that.” I think, “if only I could touch that part of him or her that will really get him or her interested in learning.” Sometimes it can be a frustrating search, but other times, the answer is so close I have to try to hard miss it. Cat Stevens wrote and sang a song back in the 70’s called, “The Wind.” It contains this lyric, “I let the music take me where my heart wants to go.” That is the best answer I’ve heard for my teacher’s dilemma. Every person, every student, has a place where their heart wants to go. For some, it is music. Ask Mrs. Hartzler-Baker. For others, it’s art. Mrs. Grocki-Bareham or Mrs. Kline can identify some of these students. For others it’s literature or poetry. All of our great ELA teachers know who these students are. The point is this; you probably know what takes you “where your heart wants to go.” The goal for all of us as teachers and students is to connect with what works for each person and to help it work in our whole life, in school and beyond school. I remember as a teenager my athletics took me where my heart wanted to go. I know many students in my classes who are like that today. It would certainly be nice if we could all work together to reach that part of us that touches our deepest feelings. Can you imagine how rewarding school would be if our experience every day led us where our heart wants to go.