Be an original

An "original" to many may mean simply something unique. In Greendale, Wisconsin, however, this word holds a very specific meaning. A "Greendale original" is one of the original houses built as part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Greendale was one of three Greenbelt communities and most would argue it retains its original character best of the three. In fact, the National Register of Historic Places considers it an official National Historic Landmark.
When residents moved in in 1938, Greendale originals came in just a few models. Most were attached and some were detached. The carefully planned community included a few studios, but mainly 1 to 4 bedrooms for families. The layout of each house was the same and they all were painted a bright white. In the center of these original homes is the community building, now Greendale Middle School, where I've taught for 10 years.

I've stumbled around for months trying to figure out what small gift I could bring to Greece to bring a piece of home with me. The easy road is never the road for me so no Packers and no cheese would do. I thought about my inquiry project and how being original is an important element of creating a welcoming classroom. Every teacher is an original and each student is an original. We want our students to bring their authentic selves to class. We want to produce original thinkers not copies. I assembled my materials to create magnets that brought the white silhouette of a "Greendale original" to Greece but with the personality of a true original.
In another serendipitous moment, the time I hoped to use to complete this project with students became a week of virtual learning. So with my 11-year-old we crafted and colored. We drew and laughed. It provided much needed creativity and balance in a time when the world is tense and overwhelming.