Why There Needs to Be More of These…

I cannot express enough, how validating and motivational your words were for me, and I’m sure will be for most teachers in this craft, who are intuitively driven. It’s a testimony to why we must keep this conversation going — and shout it out, so our cries are reverberated across the world. We must continue to validate one another. Because if we don’t, Our Children will lose the greatest of educators, and we, lose our future.

I’ve been a teacher for sixteen years, leaving the New York City Department of Education in my twelfth year; I walked away from my comfortable salary, my ‘benefits’, vested time, and my life as I knew it to be for so long. Whilst this decision is not necessarily something I’d recommend for everyone; for me however, it was a crucial moment in my life’s path. Thus, with just the first step I took away from it all, after handing in my resignation — my creativity, Integrity, and Purpose revivified.

It was a challenging road the couple of years after [massive understatement], as all roads to self-discovery often are, but it was well worth it. Inevitably, I lost connection with many of my close teacher friends, but so grateful that I developed many new friends and acquaintances in the ‘outside world’. These relationships and experiences in the world, would ultimately cultivate my reinvention and personal successes, providing me with a neoteric lens for when I would later return to education.

The goal of my observations and research was largely based upon examining the qualities and lifestyles of individuals who have found joy, and great success in their lives — those, “Living the Dream”. What is learned was that for many of these people, success and failure was not at all about standardized test scores; standards of performance, lay elsewhere. Big Surprise, right!?

In my exploration outside of the world of formal education, I also saw more parents as people. They were simply fellow parents, friends, non-teacher colleagues, and certainly not parents of my students. I could now, solely and soulfully listen and speak candidly, without fear of how that conversation might obstruct the school politics I had to secure. Blurred lines became defined; our conversations weren’t typically just about whether their child was on grade level, it was mostly about who they were, their children’s social challenges, confidence levels, parenting insecurities/strategies, and also what great teachers did for their family. I wasn’t pressured by a list of other parents I had to call and log, or the line on parent-teacher night growing as other parents patiently [or impatiently] waited to speak with me. It was raw, uncensored, free — authentically enlightening.

The vast of majority of parents’ beliefs paralleled my own — as a parent, and as a teacher, and a human. What we, ‘in the know’ all want, first and foremost, is kind, independent, successful adults who care; responsible, respectful, self-aware humans, that will do great things in the world.

And while of course, most parents are concerned and stressed about The Common Core Standards, test scores, and academic performance, their children’s optimism about Life, typically comes first, because ultimately, Our Children are Our Legacy.

You see, great educators innately know where success lies, and are passionately working to show this Truth to their students, through the great insight and countless hours put forth in their lesson-planning. In a supportive and like-minded school culture, teachers who ‘get it’, often spend their daydreaming time, thinking of exciting and engaging ways to introduce new material. They think, ‘This book is going to be perfect for David, Jamal, and Anthony!’ and ‘That activity will really boost Layla’s confidence! She will really see how talented she is’.

By contrast, when teachers are stifled in a world of the ‘living dead’, and pressured by a ‘System’ that makes them think something’s wrong with them for wanting to “save the world”, when all we really want to do is teach Our kids different ways to see the world around them, our drive — our Love — our gifts are stolen from us. Our thoughts are preccopied with, ‘I know is the right thing to do, BUT ‘They’ want me to do this, so we have the numbers we need to make the school look good.’

Somehow though, my experiences have made me hopeful for the future, despite what still may go on in many schools. I have seen a great deal of forward movement for the cause. More people are understanding the true successes associated with teaching for LIFE, and not just for a test.

So for these great teachers I strongly advise; listen to your intuition with confidence, keep inspiring others, and continue to take the leap!

As Gandhi says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

It truly is the only way.