Back to Class

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. — Maya Angelou

I have always been an educator. I can remember playing school as a child. I set up my classroom with a desk for me and pillows for my imaginary students. I tore pages from magazines and corrected them while I sipped apple juice from a coffee cup. I insisted on straight lines as I walked my class to recess.

As an adult, I’ve been an educator for over twenty years. Some of those years were spent as a teacher with my own classroom. Some of those years, were spent in roles that took me out of the classroom and away from my first love of teaching students. I’ve learned so much from every opportunity. I’m grateful for the skills I gained as a middle school counselor. I’m humbled and challenged by my current role in curriculum support. But there is nothing like being a teacher in your own classroom with your own students.

So I’m going back.

When I tell people this, they are surprised.

“Are you getting paid more to teach a section and do your current job?“–No.

“Aren’t you scared that you won’t have time to do it all?–Yes.

“Do you really want to be back in the classroom with the way kids are today?”–Absolutely.

“Do you think you’ll still be good at teaching after 7 years out of the classroom?”–I’m really not sure.

What I do know is that I miss teaching my own students. I’m tired of facilitating learning for teachers when I can’t put it into practice myself. I miss how funny kids can be. I miss planning a perfect lesson that turns out to be far from perfect. I miss being part of a building staff who know the same students and feel the same struggles and joys.

So I’m going back.

I have not doubt that this will be the most challenging year of my career. I hope so. I am ready to be nervous and vulnerable and stretched. I am ready to be a teacher again.

I’m going back to class.