Reflections of 18 years

The other week I was looking at my Facebook feed and seeing several teachers fill out and post the following:

TEACHER STATS
Years:
Levels:
Approximate number of students:
School districts:
Buildings:
Principals:
Classrooms:
Subjects taught:
Retired:
Teacher friends, what are your stats?

It got me to think about my career and other reflections about teaching, so instead posting my stats on Facebook, I thought I would turn it into a blog.  So here are my stats:

Years:  18
Levels:  Kinder, 4th and 5th grades
Approximate number of students:  over 400+ students
School districts:  3
Buildings:  3
Principals:  4
Classrooms:  7
Subjects taught:  reading, math, social, studies, science, social skills
Retired:  when God tells me

My first thought in reflecting was:  Wow, have I taught that long!  It has gone by so fast.  I can remember so great times and some not so great times of my career.  I have learned and seen a lot in those years, but somethings never change with this profession.  Here are the things that don't change:

Students:  The type of students I taught in the school year 2000-2001, are the same type of students that I will be teaching in 2016-2017 school year.  Yes, the students that I taught back then had more money, but they are all the same!  Students want to be LOVED, RESPECTED, and show that they MATTER!  Students are looking for this when they enter the classrooms.  They are not looking for it just one day, but ALL the days they are in school.

Administrations:  I have worked with many different styles and approaches.  Some of them have been good and some that could have been better.  I have learned that you shouldn't let a bad administration team stop you from being that great teacher you are meant to be.  There are ways to work around it, yes it might be a challenge, but you can do it.

Teachers:  During my career, I have taught with some GREAT teachers and some not so great teachers.  I have always tried to learn from each type so that I can become that GREAT teacher.  I really think that if you want to become that GREAT teacher, you need to surround yourself with great teachers.  You also need to keep learning yourself.  I have always in my career tried to learn more and more.  Yes, I have to admit there were some years I didn't take this approach.  I look back at those years, and I was not as good of a teacher.

As I end my reflection, I hope one day I can become that GREAT teacher one day that I want to be!

Why I Started My Blog

I never thought I would ever think about blogging.  Blogging is for other people that have something to say I thought.  I don't have anything to say that people would find interesting to read.  My thinking on blogging started to change one day last school year.  In fact, one person planted that seed to start making me think about going on this journey of blogging.  That one person is my boss, Todd Nesloney.

Last school year, he came to the staff to tell us this idea that he had.  The idea was to write a book with all of our voices.  When walking out of that staff meeting, I thought well that for sure is not me.  As time went on and more and more people kept talking about it, I thought well I guess I could write something for the book.  As I set down to brainstorm ideas I could write about, I had a list of ideas.  I choose one idea and wrote.  I kept the list of ideas, I really didn't know what I was going to do with it.  I just thought it sure is a good list for something.

Fast forward to January 24, 2018, and the book was released with all our stories.  Here is a picture of the book.

I never imagined that I would ever see my words and thoughts in print ever.  When I was able to hold the actual book and see my words in print, I realized that maybe I do have something people might want to read about.  The thought kept coming to my mind and started maybe I should go down this journey of blogging.

I really don't know where it will take me and what is going to happen in the future with this blog, but I am going to get out of comfort zone and start.