Tuesday, July 3, 2007
This morning I read...
Ali Edwards' blog about Miksang - a style of photography that gets one looking - no, seeing - what pieces make up the whole that is us - today - all around. Perceiving - discerning - no good, no bad - just "is." It got me thinking about my present Is. It is patently obvious that I am a brand new English teacher - I've told everybody at every opportunity. I am also an attorney - making a career change after nineteen years and to say that I am not apprehensive would be an understatement. I'm torn between hitting the ground running and never looking back and being practical and safe. I don't want to be safe. I want to throw it all in and go for it - and I will. But I can't - just yet. I have too many responsibilities and obligations - and I'm okay with this. I just want to know when I will get to a place of confident acceptance. I've never been there - I'm confident...I'm accepting...but rarely at the same time - I'm always thinking three, five, ten steps ahead - how I can change this and that to make it better, smoother, easier, cleaner, more understandable. I've got lots of goals and ideas and a bazillion paths before me to go down to get there. I've even changed the template of this blog more times than I can count and I've only been posting for a few weeks. I want it quirky - with a simple style all its own, but with a message, a point, an objective. Hmm - see a consistent life theme developing here? Today - this week - I am going to practice what I often tell my girls - one step at a time...at least I'll be moving forward. This, I can confidently accept.
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2 comments:
I remember those first days of teaching -- those days filled with energy and hope -- then I started teaching for the Michigan Department of Corrections. After fifteen years, I have learned that if there is a way for my students to mess things up, they will. Yet, once in a blue moon, one of my students will parole and become a productive citizen and taxpayer like the rest of us.
Amy,
That will be much easier than ABNHSET. =) And as you may have guessed a few posts back I thought I remembered the name Kara or Carus (or something like that) meaning beloved in Latin, but of course "Amy" also has roots in love (Amore) and friendship (Sp.amigo). My niece spells it Aimee (as many French and Canadians do).
Anyway, I appreciated this post because as a school administrator I've wondered how you were both brand new and already secure in a position for the fall. That speaks well of you in any market. (I'm not assuming you are in Michigan, but here many "brand new" teachers will be doing something other than teaching their first year. Decreasing faculty size is common in many West Michigan districts.)
This post hints at how some smart district brought you on board. You have professional and parental experience not common with new teachers.Obviously, being an attorney makes your teaching resume very unique, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that being a mom will bring equal value and experience to your teaching.
Five years ago, I hired a teacher (in her mid forties? I'm guessing) who went back to finish her degree at GVSU as a mother of five. That jumped out to me as quite an accomplishment and she has not disappointed. The kind of moms who choose to enter education know how to invest in their classroom and how to draw energy from the kids they work with. You sound like that kind of teacher.
I confess that until this post, based on your commendable enthusiasm, I assumed you were fresh out of college with your first degree... please forgive the assumption and the unsolicited "coaching" in a previous comment some time back.
Keep that spark; keep your wood dry; build your fires strategically; put out the ones you didn't mean to start; and you'll be a happy camper in the classroom! =) (Can you tell we'll be going camping in a few weeks? Can't wait.)
Enjoy your summer and new blog,
Tom at POI
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