Reflecting on 25 Years...

Friday, June 29, 2018 marked the end of my 25th year in education.
25 years...wow...
I can still remember standing in that first grade classroom, desks neatly arranged with carefully placed name tags, alphabet strips, and a 100s chart for each student on top. The bulletin boards were adorned with fresh paper and decorative borders, and a large carpet marked the area where my class would meet together for morning meeting and daily lessons. A calendar board was marked with September, and contained empty charts to graph the weather and count the days of the school year.

I felt excited and nervous at the same time. In just a few minutes I would walk down to the gym to meet my students, and I would officially be a teacher. I specifically remember thinking that in just a few short hours, my first day of teaching would be complete, and my journey would have begun.

It's been 25 years and my path has been a relatively positive one. I can still name every student from that first class...not as many from my last class. My first students are now 31-33 years old.

My journey has not varied much. I've been a 1st & 2nd grade teacher, K-3 reading specialist, and elementary curriculum supervisor across two school districts. Change seems to find me, and I only make a change if I feel it will be best for students, myself, and my family.

As I've been approaching this milestone, I have taken some time to reflect on my years in education, specifically my own professional growth through the journey I have taken. Although I could write volumes about my experiences, students, triumphs and challenges, instead I would like to share my most recent educational journey.

Two years ago, I was feeling very complacent, which is not a feeling any educator wants to feel. I was loosing sight of my focus, my "why". I had been in my current position for 8 years, and had come in ready to facilitate change, empower teachers, and most importantly for the success of the students. Was anyone even listening to me anymore?

New Year's Day 2017 I decided to take the #OneWord challenge. Choosing a word was easy: INSPIRE. I wanted to be inspired again and to also inspire my staff. INSPIRE became my motto for the year and served to guide my journey.

My first step began with writing a monthly newsletter for staff. My district had purchased me a Smore newsletter subscription, but I had yet to use it. I dove in and wrote my first newsletter, newly title "Literacy Lowdown", with a focus on Close Reading. Once shared with my staff, it received some positive feedback and a few teachers implemented the strategies or resources I shared. I continued to publish a new Smore each month for the rest of the school year, with focuses on independence and accountability during reading workshop, independent reading, questioning, student engagement, and reflection. While I chose the focus for the each newsletter based on observed teacher need, I found myself diving deeper into each topic and learning more along the way.

During the summer of 2017, I attended the National Principals Convention in Philadelphia. I basically begged my district to send me to this event, and since it was only a car-ride away, I was able to go. This is where I felt the fire of inspiration spark again inside me. I left feeling completely energized and of course inspired as an educational leader. I purchased and read Kids Deserve It, Lead Like a Pirate, and The Four O'clock Faculty after meeting and hearing Todd Nesloney, Shelly Burgess and Beth Houf speak at the convention, and meeting up with Rich Czyz.

I started the 2017-18 school year more inspired, but still looking for more. I choose my new #Oneword for 2018 with the help of staff, and my motto for this new year was INTENTIONAL.

In late January 2018, I joined a Voxer book study group to read Rich Czyz's book The Four O'Clock Faculty. This is the move that has changed my life, literally. It has resparked my fire as an educator and renewed my passion for children and learning. My trajectory as an educator has been forever changed.

Talking about this book each day with this Voxer book study group introduced me to an amazing group of educators from across the country. This group was made up of educators ranging from those in the field for just a few years to over 30 years and stretched from the Pacific Northwest through the Great Plains, the heart of Texas and along the east coast.

Being a part of this book study began to push my thinking and reignite my passion for learning. Since "meeting" this group of educators, who have since become my PLN/F, I have accomplished the following:

• I have read more educational books and articles than in recent years combined. Not that I wasn't reading and learning all along, but definitely not at this rate or level.
• I have doubled my followers on Twitter through chats and have made connections that I learn from every day. Twitter went from being a place I lurked on a few times a week to a place where I connect daily.
• I attended my first two EdCamps. 
• I implemented the first #CoffeeEDU chats in my district and attended local chats.
• I organized the first Book Tasting where 80 staff members came to choose their summer educational reading. 
• I started this blog.
• I started listening to Podcasts. The radio is NEVER on in my car anymore. I'm either voxing or listening to a podcast. Canceled my satellite radio service!
• I am facilitating a district leadership book study this summer.
• I've learned about the latest tech tools to enhance student learning and are supporting staff in implementation of Flipgrid, Newsela, BookSnaps, Buncee and so much more. 
• I have challenged staff to "shift" one thing in their practice for the new school year. Published a Smore about it: https://www.smore.com/g90jw 
• I have set a goal for the new year to start presenting PD outside of my district again and maybe even host a Twitter chat or two. 

This is not meant to be a brag list of any sort, but to further illustrate the importance of finding a PLN, a group that will push your thinking every day and make you a better person. Although our book study ended in February, we have stayed together as a group and continue to talk every day and are deeply connected on both an educational and personal level. They are my tribe. 

My 25-year journey has been rich and filled with many amazing educators along the way. I am grateful for the experiences, ups and downs, and most of all the learning and the children. It's really all about the kids.

Here's to 25 more...well, maybe 15-20?

Thank you to my #4ocfpln!