You Can Do It!

You Can Do It!

I can’t believe it’s almost the middle of December. I liken each school year to a marathon. I start the race in August and I reach the finish line in May. At this juncture in the school year, though, I find myself doing a lot of wondering. Am I teaching the standards to the best of my ability? Are my students learning? Am I preparing them enough for the SBA? Will they improve on the SBA? Will they be ready for fourth grade? I have more questions than answers right now.

Sigh...I have not chosen an easy career path. Teaching is physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing. There is always more to learn, do, and teach. Those are the hard facts. Yet, when I am in my classroom, I cannot think of anywhere else I’d rather be or anything else I’d rather be doing. Like you, I have the privilege of being a part of my students’ childhood. I hope someday they will fondly remember how much delight I took in teaching them and in learning with them.

In spite of all the challenges, I know that I have support. This quote exemplifies how I feel:

“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.” --Robert John Meehan

So, in the spirit of teamwork and continuous learning, I carved out some time during our Thanksgiving break to read my colleagues’ blogs. I was humbled. These teachers made themselves vulnerable and available to all of us via this vehicle know as a blog. Their writings were full of insight, ideas, advice, and personal experience. By the time I was done, there were a lot more tools in my teacher toolbox.

I challenge you to not run this year’s race solo. You don’t have to. And I don’t either. We are in this together. Regardless of what grade or subject you teach, you have a whole host of teachers who are running the same marathon. Let’s hold each other’s hands until we get to the finish line. Let’s cheer each other on.

 “It’s not about being the best, it’s about being better than you were yesterday.” --Author Unknown

I’m an imperfect perfectionist. Over the years, I’ve learned that I don’t need to be perfect to make a positive difference in the lives of my students. But I do need to be better today than I was yesterday and, for me, the best way to do that is to keep learning and growing. I choose to approach each day as a new opportunity to add to my teacher toolbox, to hone my skills and to improve my craft. This year I’m all about brain research. Next year? Who knows? But I can guarantee I will be learning something new and exciting. And who better to teach me than my own OMSD colleagues?

                                  

  Lifelong Learner
Lola E. Jollie

lola.jollie@omsd.net