This post is basically a spur from Seifipour's Ruminations post.
Like Sarah my thoughts have been with those at JESA who are getting ready to meet their students and tackle the school year, and although I will miss the students and staff at the school, I am glad I am no longer with you <gasp.> Leaving was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made (there may have been some actual sobbing involved), but I think it was the best decision for all of us.
Sometimes we reach a point in our careers where we grow complacent, jaded and stagnate. I feel like I have personally reached this place, and I need something new and different - a whole new scenery to give me a fresh perspective on education (and the JESA staff deserves someone who can offer assistance minus the snarky comments.)
This will be my thirteenth year in education (whoa!) and I have been swimming against the stream for most of it. I am TIRED and think I may just need to lay low for a year or two to take some time to learn new things for myself and revisit teaching (which I am exciting to do in a an online environment this year.) To borrow a phrase from Stephen Covey's The Seven Habit's of Highly Effective People, it is time for me to do a little saw sharpening. I don't want to become the stereotypical grumpy educator who sits in the teacher's lounge and complains all of the time... and I think this is who I was becoming.
I too began my career with the grand plan of making a difference in my students' lives - and I think I have done that for many of them. I KNOW they have made a difference in mine. Unfortunately, in the end, I got bogged down by the politics and bureaucracy of it all. I felt constrained, and I do not like to be constrained. I just don't understand why the district hires innovative, hard-working, knowledgeable staff and then ties their hands with uniformity.
I LOVED The Academy and what it stood for (at its inception) so when packing up my office I had a brief pang of sadness about leaving when a co-working said, "Angela, The Academy left a long time ago." Yeah, sadly, I think so. It is difficult to keep a vision and goal alive when the district administration does not fully support it. I only hope that JESA will be able to develop a vision based on more than just standardized test scores.
I know that there are still outstanding teachers on the campus who are working (within their constraints) to make a difference in the lives of their students, and I applaud them for that. I wish them HUGE and CONTINUED success. JESA is by far, a way "better" and successful school model than most.
Perhaps I am simply being nostalgic - The Academy was by no means perfect - but the philosophy of the school, the leadership I received, the freedoms we were granted all helped mold me in to the teacher I am today. It made me hunger for innovation and independence, and now I am not happy without it.
So, my choice was to begin a new chapter teaching from home with a new school. And although I may seem so to some, I am not naive. I know that this school will come with policies and regulations as well, and I am okay with that. I know what to expect, and I am willing to give it a go. I know I will encounter frustrations, but hopefully I will be able to deal with them in a constructive manner... and if not, I can take comfort in the fact that I can wear my pjs while working if I want.
I am a TEACHER. It is in my nature and not something I want to change.I still believe I can make a difference in students' lives, and I hope to.
Like Sarah, I would like to end with a note to my JESA peeps <shout out> -
Sometimes we reach a point in our careers where we grow complacent, jaded and stagnate. I feel like I have personally reached this place, and I need something new and different - a whole new scenery to give me a fresh perspective on education (and the JESA staff deserves someone who can offer assistance minus the snarky comments.)
This will be my thirteenth year in education (whoa!) and I have been swimming against the stream for most of it. I am TIRED and think I may just need to lay low for a year or two to take some time to learn new things for myself and revisit teaching (which I am exciting to do in a an online environment this year.) To borrow a phrase from Stephen Covey's The Seven Habit's of Highly Effective People, it is time for me to do a little saw sharpening. I don't want to become the stereotypical grumpy educator who sits in the teacher's lounge and complains all of the time... and I think this is who I was becoming.
I too began my career with the grand plan of making a difference in my students' lives - and I think I have done that for many of them. I KNOW they have made a difference in mine. Unfortunately, in the end, I got bogged down by the politics and bureaucracy of it all. I felt constrained, and I do not like to be constrained. I just don't understand why the district hires innovative, hard-working, knowledgeable staff and then ties their hands with uniformity.
I LOVED The Academy and what it stood for (at its inception) so when packing up my office I had a brief pang of sadness about leaving when a co-working said, "Angela, The Academy left a long time ago." Yeah, sadly, I think so. It is difficult to keep a vision and goal alive when the district administration does not fully support it. I only hope that JESA will be able to develop a vision based on more than just standardized test scores.
I know that there are still outstanding teachers on the campus who are working (within their constraints) to make a difference in the lives of their students, and I applaud them for that. I wish them HUGE and CONTINUED success. JESA is by far, a way "better" and successful school model than most.
Perhaps I am simply being nostalgic - The Academy was by no means perfect - but the philosophy of the school, the leadership I received, the freedoms we were granted all helped mold me in to the teacher I am today. It made me hunger for innovation and independence, and now I am not happy without it.
So, my choice was to begin a new chapter teaching from home with a new school. And although I may seem so to some, I am not naive. I know that this school will come with policies and regulations as well, and I am okay with that. I know what to expect, and I am willing to give it a go. I know I will encounter frustrations, but hopefully I will be able to deal with them in a constructive manner... and if not, I can take comfort in the fact that I can wear my pjs while working if I want.
I am a TEACHER. It is in my nature and not something I want to change.I still believe I can make a difference in students' lives, and I hope to.
Like Sarah, I would like to end with a note to my JESA peeps <shout out> -
I have learned so much from you all over the years. You help make me the person I am today. My suggestion to you is don't let the politics overwhelm you - focus on your students, and lean on each other for support. And as always, let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I <heart> you guys!
Sincerely,
me
No comments:
Post a Comment