How Far Can I Fly?

I’m Jill or Mrs. P as my students call me. I teach middle school (this year 6th & 7th) ELA, Social Studies, Science, and technology at a very small school (PreK-12 in one building) in northern Washington County near the eastern Canadian border in Danforth, Maine. I have taught kindergarten, second grade, and middle school. I have to say middle school is definitely my niche. I can be as crazy, weird, passionate, and unpredictable as my pre-teen students, and they LOVE that about me. Teaching is part of who I am. I can’t imagine my life without teaching and learning in it. I’m a wife and a mom. I have two sons, one is 24 and the other almost 19. I grew up in New Jersey and moved to Maine after I graduated from college.
In the 20 or so years of my professional life, it seems as though I have always been one of the ones sitting on the wall watching others take off and fly. I could always imagine myself doing something instrumental to help other teachers learn, catching a wind that raised me up to accomplish some powerful things. I don’t want to wait for that wind. I want to make my own breeze, rush, burst, or even someday maybe a gale.
I have been able to be a positive force in my own sphere of influence. I have given quite a few PD sessions in my own district over the years, but have never done one outside of it. I have always thought, “What do I have to offer? I’m not an expert on anything in particular. I know a lot about many educational subjects, but not enough to be a proficient leader or a guru as most presenters seem to be.
During most of the professional development sessions I go to, I not only listen to the content of the message, but I analyze the communication techniques the speaker uses, watch her non-verbal gestures and cues, and think about how she structures the presentation to be most effective. I often think about myself up at the front of the room sharing information that would help teachers improve their craft and influence students, many more students than I currently reach.
This year a colleague and I were asked by Amanda Nguyen, a digital learning specialist with the Maine DOE, to be Learning Design Leaders for the Learning Through Technology program. We will host a regional event to showcase how we “leverage technology for better student outcomes” in our K-12 rural school. This is the first real chance I have taken to teach other teachers. I am thrilled that I have this opportunity, but also somewhat intimidated. I want to make a good impression and provide useful information, but will I be as effective as I’d really like to be? By conquering this as a co-presenter with the help of a colleague, I feel a lot less pressure. I’m glad to be able to to take wing with a trusted friend by my side. Hopefully, this will be the first of many occasions for me to advance the knowledge of fellow teachers.
So the question is, how far can I fly? How deeply can I affect the lives and learning of other teachers, and as a result, how many students will benefit?

Like the woman in this image it’s been a long journey for me in my personal life to arrive at the top of the mental and physical mountain on which I find myself, but still, there’s a very long trek yet to traverse.
The trail on which I traveled for years was a steep and rocky course. I used to weigh just over 300 pounds. As you may imagine, at 5' 2" that is considered morbidly obese. I had diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea among other conditions. It took the death of my mother for me to get the kick in the pants that I needed to search out the help I required to get to the healthy state I’m in now. My mom was overweight most of her life and had developed the same conditions from which I was suffering, but on a more extreme level. When she died suddenly of a cardiac event, I realized I was going to end up in the same situation, but many years earlier in my own life. I decided I had to make a change. I enrolled in the program at EMMC to prepare for weight loss surgery. It’s been two years since my surgery. I have lost over 150 pounds and I am now at a healthy weight. To paraphrase the Beatles, “I’m half the WOMAN I used to be.”
I don’t always share this information with others, but in order for you all to truly understand the level of the passion and strength that lies within me, you have to understand how hard I’ve worked to reach the point of wellness I currently enjoy. I feel the same passion and drive for my teaching and my quest for knowledge to better myself.
The image above is not only a figurative representation of me conquering my challenge, but it also represents the literal zeal I have for hiking. I go every chance I get. Two weeks ago I helped host an outdoor camping, hiking, and white water rafting trip for many of my middle school kids. We went on a six-mile hike up and down a mountain. It was great to spend time with them without the pressures of having to worry about student outcomes or giving a standardized test. We just had fun. I could not have physically done that three years ago. I am so thankful for the changes I have made in my life. I have reached heights I never thought possible. I ask again, how far can I fly?