How the journey started!
Do you ever feel like you've been the same thing too long, no matter what you do to grow, change and/or extend your teaching? This was me. I had been working as a high school English teacher in Dawson Creek for 17 years. In our district there is only one high school in my community and so I had no opportunity to change placements. That doesn't mean it isn't a great place to work, but because of the school size there weren't many choices. It didn't mean that I wasn't growing and changing my practice as a teacher, but....
One day 2 years ago I was suddenly on the schedule to be in the library for one period a semester. I hadn't advocated for this so it was a surprise but not an unpleasant one. That year had been a very successful year of teaching, one of those years where everything meshes. I had been doing critical thinking, step-away-from-the-front teaching, designing my own strategies with ideas from the book, 'Socratic Circles' by Matt Copeland. I felt really good about what I was doing but I was not content. (I found out there was a difference between the two things!) I contemplated early retirement in a few years and then becoming a TTOC. Being my own master to some extent. Then a week before school started I received a phone call that changed my world...
My principal called and asked if I would be willing to take the library on full time. Before my brain could even process the request I said yes. It was immediate and felt like I had broken free of something I didn't know was holding me. So, having just taken my daughter to university, I returned home to take on the library. I had an teaching degree, a background in English, and training and experience as an archivist, I was not going in cold....
Have you ever heard of the imposter syndrome. Many teachers experience it all the time. I felt that every semester. It was silly, I know, but it's a fact many of us face. I can say with 100% truth, no masking of emotion, that I have never felt once, after making my decision, that I am going to be found out as an imposter. In fact, I am more confidant and clear about my choices. My Administration is incredibly supportive, giving me a very healthy budget to make changes, and I have been creating a flexible learning and relaxing spaces in the library. I even have a full time support staff and there is another part-time librarian. I feel like a new teacher excited to go to work every day...
That is not to say that there are no bumps and challenges, but I feel completely competent to meet these as well as taking great pleasure in my successes and challenges. My husband and son noticed too.
Now, retirement doesn't even cross my mind.
One day 2 years ago I was suddenly on the schedule to be in the library for one period a semester. I hadn't advocated for this so it was a surprise but not an unpleasant one. That year had been a very successful year of teaching, one of those years where everything meshes. I had been doing critical thinking, step-away-from-the-front teaching, designing my own strategies with ideas from the book, 'Socratic Circles' by Matt Copeland. I felt really good about what I was doing but I was not content. (I found out there was a difference between the two things!) I contemplated early retirement in a few years and then becoming a TTOC. Being my own master to some extent. Then a week before school started I received a phone call that changed my world...
My principal called and asked if I would be willing to take the library on full time. Before my brain could even process the request I said yes. It was immediate and felt like I had broken free of something I didn't know was holding me. So, having just taken my daughter to university, I returned home to take on the library. I had an teaching degree, a background in English, and training and experience as an archivist, I was not going in cold....
Have you ever heard of the imposter syndrome. Many teachers experience it all the time. I felt that every semester. It was silly, I know, but it's a fact many of us face. I can say with 100% truth, no masking of emotion, that I have never felt once, after making my decision, that I am going to be found out as an imposter. In fact, I am more confidant and clear about my choices. My Administration is incredibly supportive, giving me a very healthy budget to make changes, and I have been creating a flexible learning and relaxing spaces in the library. I even have a full time support staff and there is another part-time librarian. I feel like a new teacher excited to go to work every day...
That is not to say that there are no bumps and challenges, but I feel completely competent to meet these as well as taking great pleasure in my successes and challenges. My husband and son noticed too.
Now, retirement doesn't even cross my mind.
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