Educational Achievements and Leadership

“The more you love your decisions, the less you need others to love them.” I’ve always wondered what my life would be like, if I had gone a different route. Would the obstacles be the same? Would my frustration get the best of me? Would I feel supported by my loved ones? Would I be successful? All these questions have trickled into my mind, more often than none. Perhaps it was fear that made me choose a different route, and I wasn’t ready to be challenged. I also think that at some point in my life, I wanted recognition for what I accomplished. However, looking back through a lot of frustration and humility; success is not given by the amount of money you make, or the title that you have. Or especially by the decisions that others make for you. The real prize is when you learn to love what you do, and surround yourself with people you love. As a teacher, I was always nervous about what others would think of me. At one point when I was starting out in this profession, I had s...

I'm currently reading a book by Lee G. Boleman called, "Leading With Soul." Chapter five is my favorite so far, because it makes a reference to the Wizard of Oz. An amazing story about friendship, perseverance, and ambition. "I wanted to find courage -- like the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. The Wizard says that everyone is afraid. Courage is the ability to go anyway. It took me a long time, but I'v learned to go on." That's such a powerful quote, because it speaks to me about the imperfections of courage. It also speaks to me about the purity of courage, and how we as humans, learn from many lessons that we have gone through in our lives. During my childhood, I would see people with low self-esteem be subjected to being ridiculed and be the target of a good laugh. Often, there would be times when I was the one who was the target of the joke. Needless to say, my self-esteem did not improve during my childhood. Although, I do remember a time when...

Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Buddhist monk, once said, “Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.” When you are committed to your profession, you can either care about what you do, or not. There are times when you may feel the weight of the world on your shoulders with deadlines, meetings, conferences and policies that need to be reviewed. Frustration can arise and different levels of emotions can be problematic. Trust me. I know. We need to remember though that joy, and the feeling of accomplishment will come. Looking back and reflecting on the path I have chosen, in regards to my own profession, I truly do feel blessed. Being in the classroom can sometimes be a thankless job; but if you’re teaching a class just for someone to thank you everyday, you might as well start holding your breath. In my opinion, the one thing that can make us stronger as individuals, is the concept of human connection. A connection with others is somethin...

Hello everyone, If you are on this blog, you must have a passion for education and becoming a teacher. Teaching is something that is not necessarily a job, but a gift. As a child, teachers or people who worked in the education field were always around me. Members of my family were teachers, reading and instructional aids, administrators, and school district administrators. Being in education for me, was something that I never wanted to do. I personally had a hard time in school academically, and felt that I did not fit in with the other students. However, I learned that if I surround myself with people who would influence me and support me, I would benefit from it tremendously. In my early twenties I went into education and almost a decade later, I have not looked back. Teachers help create a foundation for who we become in life. The task and responsibilities are challenging, but it is rewarding to see the success of a student’s progress in their face when they are smiling. We as t...