Getting back to what matters...

I am facing some tough stuff right now at work that is taking time and energy away from what is really important and meaningful to me... teaching children. So when I am feeling like bureaucratic top-down decisions are taking away from my passion for my work, I need to take a moment to get back to what really matters... me and my students.
These photos were taken during a field trip last year that had no other purpose than to let us play and be together as a community. It was a spectacular day of laughter, learning, and discovery.
This group of photos also reminds me how this whole photography thing can be about more than just  learning to take good pictures, but also helping to stay grounded in reflection on myself and the world around me.

** This first photo was actually taken by a student who saw me playing around with my big old Pentax and started asking me questions (it looks so different than the mini digitals they are used to), so I gave him a quick lesson and this is what came out. Not bad at all actually :)

 All photos taken with my Pentax K1000