Dear students,
When I first came to this school as a para, over two years ago, I felt
so unsure of myself. I was new to the College of Education, and I had wrestled
with the idea of being a teacher for ten years. For ten years I wallowed in
self-doubt, questioned my own abilities, and resigned myself to earning an
income rather than fulfilling any sort of profound calling. Even during my
first two years of college, when I was notably older than most of my
classmates, I felt lost: but I pushed myself to keep going to class, to complete
the work, to keep enrolling each semester. What I didn’t know was that this
process, as frustrating and as directionless as it seemed, was invisibly
shaping me to achieve a goal that I wasn’t even fully aware of yet.
After I managed to complete my public speaking class, the
class that originally filled me with massive anxiety, I decided to take the
plunge and to pursue a teaching career. I had always had the vague, gnawing
notion that I would be good at teaching if I could only magically acquire the
self-esteem and confidence; as it turns out, there was no magic involved, but
rather my own tenacity in the face of uncertainty. Shortly after I started
education classes, I began working here.
Being a part of this school has imbued me with all the validation I could have possibly asked for. Working with students has made my brain size double, and has made my heart size triple. For the first time in my life, I cannot wait to go to work every day. I cannot wait to talk to students about their fascinating, complicated, and sometimes funny ideas. I cannot wait to see their growth, and, even better, to see them see their own growth. I cannot wait to see their unique talents. I cannot wait to see them. Period.
Thank you all for being so wonderful. Thank you for helping
me to achieve my dreams. As the years roll on, please take a lesson from me: do
not fear failure, and do not stop trying. I know that young people hate to hear
things like, “You’ll understand when you’re older”…heck, I hate to hear it
myself, so I’ll word it differently here: it might not be very clear to you
now, but you are making progress,
even if it doesn’t feel like it. Push ahead. Don’t cut corners. Try, try try.
Someday, you too will wake up excited to go to work, and will realize that it all
started many years prior, on the day that you decided to believe in yourself.
In gratitude,
Ms. Harrison
Ms. Harrison,
ReplyDeleteA letter to your students! What a great idea!
You’ve helped your students see that failure is not to be feared, and I know that this is such an important lesson to be learned. Even until this day I still fear failure, but it’s important for us to remember that we need to at least give it a shot. Perseverance is going to outdo failure. We can always fix out mistakes, revise it and make it better, then try again.
Your emphasis on “try and try again” is something that echoes in my mind. Thank you for sharing this piece because I definitely needed a reminder to continue trying even if it doesn’t work the first few times.
Ms. Harrison,
ReplyDeleteYour students were so lucky to have you in their lives. As an older student too, I can all too well empathize with that need to push through the class and have that inner peep talk about continuing on the path. I'm so glad you did!
The message you leave for your students is a powerful one and one I hope they take to heart. There is much to be learned in failure - some of our biggest steps forward come out of a misstep.
There is also much to be said for finding the role in life that makes you want to go to work. It makes work a joy rather than a chore and that makes all the difference. It is clear to me that you have found that role Mary.
I wish you all the best in the coming year. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with your students and with us.
~ Mrs. Tolbert
Augusta snatched up a good one. I honestly don't have anything to say other than thank you for being awesome and a great example for student teachers at WSU. I know that your attitude as an educator will drive you to success for many years. It's been real, Mary. Now, I'll leave you with a Polynesian Proverb to help guide you in your adventures. In life sometimes the coconut falls to you and sometimes you fall trying to get the coconut. Tofa soifua.
ReplyDelete-Josh
Ms. Harrison, thank you for this honest and encouraging letter to your students. I’m so glad you “decided to believe in yourself.” The teaching profession is lucky to have you, and so is Augusta. I hope you will continue posting your adventures in teaching so that we can all continue to learn from your ideas and experiences. Thank you!
ReplyDelete