We proudly wear maroon. We proudly wear white. we proudly wear ...gold?

Hi Cougar Families and Friends!

Welcome back to the start of another fantastic year!  I am super excited to let you know that our weekly blog Celebrating Cinco is back for the upcoming year.  Look for posts from students, teachers/staff, parents, and maybe even your principal every now and then.  

Our first post of the year comes from an admired veteran teacher and coach here at Cinco.  Coach Hayes has inspired many young lives, but as you will read in his post, he is inspired by the young people who walk through these doors each day.  I know you will enjoy his post.  Again, welcome back for another year of purpose, passion, and pride! #CPOE

I am starting my 33^rd year of teaching and coaching.  This career spans time spent in Miami, Arlington, Conroe, Fukuoka, Japan, Morton Ranch Junior High and the last 15 years at Cinco Ranch High.  Teaching and coaching is all I have ever wanted to do.  Every day I get to engage in discussions and arguments, exchange ideas, wonder, challenge and be challenged, encourage dreaming, and provide opportunities to think.  It is truly a blessing to be a teacher and coach. 

What I have learned over the past 32 years, is to approach my job completely different than I did my first year way back in 1985.  When asked, “What do you teach?’  English was always the response.  Fortunately, I have learned the correct answer.  (This is hard for me to say as I constantly tell my students that English is the best subject as there are no wrong answers.)  Nevertheless, for the question, “What do you teach?” there is only one answer.  “I teach young people.” The who is so much more important than the what.  English as a subject, is strictly what puts us in a room together. 

I was recently reminded of this when a student of mine told me about the Japanese art form called kintsugi.  Basically, it is the process of repairing smashed pottery by using beautiful seams of gold.   It takes something broken and makes it more beautiful.  This reminded me of the 100 young people that will walk through my door this week.   All are in need of some gold to patch things up. Some a lot, some a little.  Teaching the rhyme scheme of a poem or where to correctly place a comma is certainly beneficial, but restoring broken pieces can be life changing.  Our colors at Cinco Ranch High School are maroon and white and I proudly wear them.  Yet this year I hope that I can add some gold to that on a daily basis.       

Bruce Hayes, Teacher/Coach