Yo, Miss! (No.49)

22 Years

I just completed my 22nd year of teaching

The first time I got up in front of a class of students to teach, I was absolutely terrified. I did not think I could make it through forty minutes of teaching let alone make it my career.

But I stuck with it.

Now I will start my 23rd year of teaching in September.

Reflection One:

Sometimes what becomes your life’s calling will not come easy at first. That does not mean you should give up. You need to keep pushing through the discomfort. However, you also must follow your gut. Only you know if you are sticking with something because of pride or because you know in your heart it has potential. This applies to everything in life, including career and relationships.

I truly believe that if you stay authentic, you will find the right path for you.

Reflection Two:

The reason I have been able to stay in the same career (and school) for 22 years is that I forced myself to adjust with the times. It is easy to stick with the same lessons and methods if you are teaching the same subject (in my case United States History) for decades. However, I have tried to incorporate new technologies and teaching strategies into my practice. There were many times when my initial response was to be stubborn and say, “I am a veteran teacher! I know what I am doing!” But, it is important to put ego and pride aside and stay open to change. That comes with being honest with yourself where you force yourself to interrogate why you are finding yourself resistant to change. I always try to ask myself: “Do you not want to change because you know your way is better or because you are afraid?”

I have many more reflections, but I will keep it short and sweet since I just started summer break. I have a busy summer planned and I will keep everyone updated here and on my social media.

As always, thank you for all your support and here are all the places that you can follow me: https://linktr.ee/saribethrosenberg