I am a Proud Educator! I came into this industry with the hopes of making a strong impact on all my students. Before I took my first job as a teacher, I would honestly visualize how I would walk in my classroom, my first words, and what type of environment I would foster. I believe with literature I could create a path between the world and my students and between me and students. After the daydreaming, I finally had my opportunity to make a strong positive impact on my students and yes during my first year.
I was confident when I stood with my students, they knew when it was time to put in work and it is possible to enjoy learning at the same time. Students can learn but they can learn best when they like their teacher. This is so true. I have seen smart students passive do their work in the classroom of a teacher they did not care for but walk in another classroom where the teacher was likable but most importantly challenge them to be independent learners. In our classroom, we were not perfect but because of the classroom environment, it provided us a space to grow. My first year was a challenge, I had a mix of levels and to add on my challenges I had reading classes.
The reading classes challenge me and I wanted to come back prepared for the war. Yet, I still was not ready it seems like. My scores did not reflect on all the work I put in my planning. I was always behind and I began to second guess myself and no one knew how to teach a reading class. I was drowning with the defeat until My first principal pulled me to the side and celebrate me as a teacher. Shock and confuse. He told me not to use the state scores to measure my students but measure their growth because he has seen what I have done with the students. After hearing that and look at my students' growth, tears ran down my face. They were growing!
During these challenges and in my second year, I was offered to lead English I team. I took the challenge and it turns out I actually enjoyed working with the teachers and developing collaborative class projects. We as the English I team did some amazing things while I lead the team. At the end of the year, my leadership team asked me if I would like to be the Department Chair of ELA. If you could see my face I was shock and grateful that they would consider me this position.
I never strive to be in any type of leadership position, maybe further down the years. I saw myself only as a leader of a classroom that develops my students to become independent learners. Yet, leadership finds me. My years as an educator is not your average season educator. I was a shame for the lack of years I had, but education came to me so effortlessly. I remember one of my teammates shared this with me, "There are people with 10 plus years and still do not have the skills to lead, so do not compare your journey to nobody's journey." Afterwards, I stop not wearing the embarrassment. I accept my path. So to all the young educators out there, work for what you desire and stop comparing your journey to another person's journey Because of my path, I have evolved into a servant leader who strives to make sure every student has a quality education that they can use to be productive citizens and believe they can be whoever they dream to be. My purpose is bigger than me.