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| The students got a chance to slim me for the science fair! |
Life is ever evolving and I believe that I was created to create. I have been teaching for 7 years and I began teaching after graduate school. I was really looking forward to working in a museum, because I wanted to be around curators, and artists. Despite my efforts, I had a really difficult time breaking into that industry.
I was approached by a family friend to be a substitute teacher and I quickly took on this challenge. Teaching now became my love and passion. Even though I was a sub, I had my own subject, roster of students, classroom, and full-time duties of a teacher. That first year of teaching, my idea of teaching changed needless to say. I had imagined that I was going to wear a dashiki, read Malcolm X, and go to museums once a month. Reality quickly set in. I had to change my attitude and approach to teaching quickly.
One day my principal came to me and asked how comfortable I would feel to teach science in addition to me already teaching history. I remember in college struggling with basic biology. I asked her if I could think about it, and her reply was a sharp, “no”. I smiled and humbly said, “okay”. That night I went to Barnes and Noble to pick up every science book that was ever written to brush up on middle school science. My family thought I was crazy for teaching in the hood and on top of the stories that I came home with about parents, children, and adults, now I wanted to teach science!?
I made it through my first year with a great teacher mentor, a couple of mental bruises about teaching, and physical bruises for breaking up fights in the classroom between students, and this new passion to be a great teacher! Anytime I told someone where I taught you would have thoughtI was a saint or wore a wonder woman belt. The reactions of me teaching in an urban area (I am going to keep it real -- the hood) was interesting. It was as if education should look different there, or only the brave and crazy taught in the hood. I did not have the "lets save the black children" mentality or feel like I wore the “S” on my shirt. I did, however, feel like the black children that looked like me desired a world class education. I also understood that I needed to build trust between the community (group of kids and parents) I was teaching in and to trust that I could do this job.
Over the years I learned to trust myself more and more in the classroom. I left the school I started at to literally teach across the street at a charter school. Now, many people have strong opinions about charter vs. public and I am here to set the record STRAIGHT. We don't kick out irate students, we don't select only the smart kids, we don't reject kids with I.E.P. (individualized education program), and we are not taking kids away from public schools. The kids in charter schools are no different from the kids at my first school (public school). I learned so much from this charter school about what extraordinary teaching looked like. I also challenged myself in the classroom and as a leader. At this new school, I led the vision for what 7th grade should look like and taught a full load. As a teacher, you sacrifice a lot of your life, with the long hours at school, challenging students and parents, working relentlessly to teach and motivate students and teachers. This is definitely not a one woman’s show! I have worked beside an extraordinary group of educators and staff throughout my 7 years of teaching.
Since I turned 31, life has a way of starting to look different (well for me at least). I started to reflect more, and ask myself questions like: Am I living my purpose? Do I react accordingly to whatever conflict? Where do I see myself 5 years from now? I started to feel like I was waking up to make it through another day and not really living life! I wanted much more out of my own life. I wanted to start to answer these questions. I also for a period of time felt guilty about life because I felt like, I was so blessed why did I want more from life (that's a whole other blog post). I realized that it was not my job that was the problem but it was that God was preparing me! For what, I am not quit sure yet. I truly believe that nothing happens by mistake. For so long I have been in a place of running, going, trying to get through another day and week and I forgot to listen to God. I needed to start to slow down and be one with my Creator so I can create. I am working on that. Lo’s Notes is one result out of listening and speaking to God.
I have been going through a transformation, and it has not been an easy transformation. I have been pushing myself to really seek and grow. I have learned that a positive attitude, prayer, surrounding yourself with good people, crying a little followed by lots of laughs are important. I am leaving my current job to have more time to LIVE my purpose. For the past year and half I was wondering what the hell was wrong with me? It was not only the fact that I was getting older, it was the fact that I was shifting and becoming more clear on what was important, what I was going to tolerate, and who I want to be in the world.
After 7 years of teaching in the classroom, I begin this new chapter in my life. I know that I will encounter challenges, love, fear, and new perspective. I also bring with me on this new journey God, love, friendships, family, and a peace of mind.
I pray this post leaves you to live, love and share.
Till next time,
LO —
