I was a young teacher who wasn’t ready to leave the classroom, but I was offered a district-level opportunity at Chicago Public Schools that I couldn’t refuse. In that role, I was fortunate to work with some of the most talented and fiercely-passionate educators in all of the city. They probably didn’t even notice just how much they were teaching me every single day. That’s the amazing thing about teachers. Once a teacher, always a teacher. It’s in the words you speak. It’s in the life lessons you model. It’s in the trust you give and demand in return.
We did not always agree, but we were always learning, always collaborating, always acting in the interest of students.
That group of educators taught me about standards alignments. They taught me about data-informed instruction. They taught me how to lead informed and engaging professional development sessions. They taught me the value of continuing education.
But more important than all of those things, they taught me to always be an example for our youth. They are our future and we have the incredible responsibility to support them in ways that will allow them to change the world.
@Damaris, @Jay, @John, @Kathy, @Luewilla, @MaryAnn, @Tinaya, you’ve had an impact on thousands of students and I am honored to call you my teachers, colleagues, and friends.
