Sunday, April 1, 2012

Writer, Reader, Thinker, Teacher, and Cliff Diver

Picture from Microsoft Word
Sifting through the history of my training and experience in the field of education has been an interesting project. I haven't written a resume in over twenty years. When I was told that my job was eliminated for the upcoming school year, I was not surprised. My position as a literacy coach was supposed to last three years and ended up stretching to over a decade. I was well aware of the risks and uncertainties before I took that swan dive twelve years ago but I felt that the opportunity to become a pioneer was too important to pass up. And I have no regrets. Monroe Public Schools has allowed me to grow and develop as a professional in ways I never thought possible. But now it is time to let go and move on.


It is time to begin a new professional chapter and I am excited to jump in with both feet. Supporting teachers, reaching struggling learners, coaching, and helping to facilitate school-wide change requires a unique skill set. It demands a willingness to reinvent oneself, embrace change, and honor all ideas as possibilities. My priority continues to be student achievement. I want children to find their voice and realize their personal power. I want them to know the feeling of agency and creating their own learning. I want students to become life long learners who are armed with the skills necessary to demonstrate their abilities on high-stakes assessments. I have no idea who Monroe Public Schools would like me to become. And I'm not going to fib and say I'm not scared or anxious. I am. Jumping off a cliff without knowing what is in the water below requires a certain degree of faith.