“The day is almost done. Don’t cry until they leave.” Those words echoed in my mind as I stood there watching my class. I stopped talking. I stopped teaching. It was my first year of teaching and I was exhausted, drained, and burned out. I realized I was the Charlie Brown teacher. I was playing “sage on the stage” but all my students were hearing was, “wah wah wah wah.” I questioned my ability. I questioned my future as an educator. I had to choose: quit or change.
Well, six years later, I’m still teaching. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “I never lose. I either win, or I learn.” Challenges are opportunities to learn something new about ourselves. That first year was insanely challenging. But it started me on an incredible journey of discovery. The challenges I faced pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the realm of ed tech and innovation. These challenges ignited my teacher soul in ways I didn’t know I needed!
Tags: Ed Tech • flipgrid • Good Teaching • Nearpod • student engagement