I have this crazy dream. In it, I’m twenty minutes late to class, and I’m panicking. Will my lab be trashed? Will someone cover the ceiling with spitballs or beat up the short kid or get acid in their eye? I’m going to lose my job, for sure.  As I rush through the door, a student is standing at the whiteboard. But instead of doodling some profanity, she is drawing what she thinks causes eclipses of the moon. Everyone else is sitting in a circle and listening. When she finishes, six people raise their hands with questions. 

​

It’s like I didn’t even need to be there. 

​

We all know that we should show up on time with a pencil, stay focused, and not hurt other people. I’ll make my expectations about these clear. But that’s only the starting place. Our goal is to become a community that takes respect, responsibility, and relevance to the next level—like in my dream.