The more things change...the more they stay the same

We have all heard this saying, right? What does that really mean though? A lot has changed for me in the last 5 months. I made the very difficult decision to finally make a change in my teaching career. Those that know me, know that I am fiercely loyal. I taught at the same school for 14 years. I served in several different roles, but all on the same campus. There are statistics that say that if a teacher sticks with one campus for more than 10 years, then they are probably not going anywhere. Stuck in their ways or whatever. I firmly believed up until May of 2023 that I would retire from that campus.

Now, the reasons that led me to make a change are not important, nor are they worth the time it would take to type them out. What I can say is that in August of 2023, I had a long talk with God and told him that I was bone tired and that He needed to make it clear if I should stay or move on. "Swing the door open, or slam it shut" I told Him over and over. I shared this with a few of my praying friends, and they prayed right along with me.

Well, in March of 2024, God swung that door open and made it clear I was to walk through it. I did and have not regretted it even once. Not even for a moment. Thank you Jesus for giving me the nudge I needed.

Again, if you know me, I do not do things small. When I make a change, I make A CHANGE. I changed schools - districts - and grade levels. Go big or go home, ha!

I now have 7 weeks as a 6th grade ELAR teacher under my belt. I went from having 2 hours with 2 groups of students to 1 hour with 5 groups of students. I am still finding my groove. I am still trying to get systems in place, but man am I having a good time!

I work with an amazing group of educators who all jump in and get the work done. If you are in education, which is a predominately female field, you know that there is often a struggle when women work together. Friends, what a breath of fresh air this group of educators is. We all come with different strengths and it all fits together to cover all the things. We laugh. We work. We get things done. I am so blessed that God put me here at this point in my career.

I had lunch with my sweet husband, Maurice, today. I asked him, "So, last year me and this year me?" He looked at me for a moment before answering. To paraphrase, I still have hard days when I am overwhelmed. I still have hard days when I don't want to talk about it, but I seem more content and less stressed. According to the one who sees me with my guard down, I am happier and don't come home downhearted because of the negativity that permeated my days last year. Don't get me wrong. He still wants me to retire and be free to travel with him, but we can both agree that I am in a healthier environment.

So, the more things change - new school, new district, new grade level, the more they stay the same - still a "used car sales woman" trying to convince kids that reading a book is more exciting than YouTube. I am still trying to help students become the best versions of themselves, not just for this year, but for their future selves. But, I am doing it with a fresh perspective and a new bounce in my educator step.

Life lesson/moral/big idea: Change is hard, but sometimes you just have to close your eyes and make that leap.