Well, it’s been a minute. I have spent the last two years climbing out of Covid isolation and into a whole new career. Well, not new exactly. More like making my previous ten years official.
I did a career switcher program and became a teacher. Here’s what I love about teaching in these times, and in this place:
For one thing, Covid made homeschooling a thing. While school districts scrambled to figure out how to conduct education remotely, those of us who had been homeschooling before the pandemic just sailed right through it with very little effort. We were subject to the same isolation-induced issues of course. Despite the tired old stereotype, as a homeschool mom I spent a huge amount of time building a community of learners for my kids. So when that all shut down, homeschoolers felt it right along with the rest of the world. But remote learning? We had that down. And my experience as a homeschooler is suddenly relevant to public education.
But also, despite homeschoolers’ own cherished stereotypes about “brick and mortar” schools, I have discovered so much innovation, deep thinking and child-centered teaching strategies in my school district that I find myself grinning through every staff meeting and strategy session.
Though it’s absolutely true that teachers barely have time to breathe, I see now that education is clearly my jam. I mean, if I look back on my career, it probably always was. As a journalist, I fell most easily and readily into mentoring, training and process building (aka lesson planning for the newsroom!) And then, of course, when my son needed it, I dropped everything to take charge of his education. And then I never looked back, homeschooling my four children for a total of 13 years.
And although I find myself doing lesson planning at the oddest hours, I am gratified that I’ve had the opportunity to participate in some big-picture thinking about education. Always keeping my focus on equity, and what’s best for my English Learners, I’ve enjoyed participating in cohorts and groups formed to work out the application of 21st century education to our public schools.
But more than anything else, I’m gratified to be part of such a forward-thinking school district and working with such a diverse population of English Learners. My students have their challenges–many have trauma, most struggle with finding their voices and their places in a new country. And the majority really value their education. But in this school they are safe and they are valued. In our schools we do a thinking routine that goes something like this:
I used to think … (that public schools catered to the average student and neglected the brightest and the most vulnerable
Then I learned … (that many schools, and my district in particular, is committed to equity, diversity, differentiation and a global perspective)
Now I think … (that while public education is not perfect, it certainly holds the key to uplifting the most vulnerable in our society and nourishing the human need for lifelong learning)