Today‘s topic is I’m a bit late in the game for April’s blog-a-day project, but better late than never, right? Today’s topic is “What would you say to your beginning teacher-self”. There are several things I wish I could go back and tell myself at the beginning of my career. Here are two:
- Don’t get your master’s in elementary education. I was positive that I would never want to do anything other than teach elementary students, and I for sure would never want to be an administrator. So, I proceeded to earn my MA in elementary education. All that degree got me was a bit more money on the teacher pay scale. Later, I went back and got my building-level administrator’s license, and high ability certification. Both could have been part of my master’s program, saving me time and money, while enlarging my circle of opportunities.
- Keep the fire lit. We all enter our first teaching experience excited to grow young minds. I had fresh ideas, new perspectives, and passion for my field. Over the years, that fire started to go out. It wasn’t until I made the move from classroom teacher to district curriculum director that I felt a renewed enthusiasm for my career as an educator. I think it was new challenges, new career goals, and new learning that helped ignite that passion once again.
