Butterflies...no...full on albatrosses are flapping their wings inside my stomach, as I write the inaugural blog post for What's YOUR Rush?!? I mean think about it. I have told just about every teacher/person in education I know and respect on Twitter and on Voxer that I will be unveiling my blog by the end of this week, AND that as soon as I hit "publish" I will send out the link so everyone can read it. What was I thinking?!? Oh right. I was thinking that up until about 9 months ago I was just a teacher who had read other people's blogs and heard about Twitter, but didn't think I had any business being involved with either. Who was I to share my thoughts? What if it came across as ringing my own bell? Who would ever want to read what I had to say? And then something amazing happened, I met Jenn (@jnpriddy).
Jenn is one of my two amazing teammates, who immediately made me believe that I could do anything and be anyone. Most importantly, she helped me to see what was good about the teacher I already was, and continues to support and encourage me to be the teacher I continually strive to be: passionate, student-focused, willing to take risks, engage in best-practices (even if they are not always the most popular) and remain positive as often as possible.
Jenn's first big feat was getting me on Twitter in September. Thankfully she waited with patience while, for about 3 months, I lurked. Finally after talking and talking to Jenn (a.k.a. my therapist) about joining a chat, or responding to one of my tweeps, I did it! I typed out the words, included my hashtag, and sent my thoughts out into the Twitterverse. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time, and I haven't looked back since!
Through Twitter I then began to meet inspiring, dedicated, and PASSIONATE teachers, who, like me, love what they do and just want to share their experiences, encourage others, and work towards a common goal of educating and empowering students in every way possible. Twitter (and no I am not speaking in hyperbole) saved me. It showed me that there are thousands of incredible people out there, around the globe, who want to change the world, and not to benefit themselves, but to benefit the future generations who will come after them. It showed me that there are administrators who respect, support, and love their faculty. Who want to transform their school culture into something electrifying and wonderful that their students are proud to be a part of and would bang down the doors to come into each day. It showed me that people are...good and want to celebrate the little victories as much as the big ones, and that all you have to do is ask, and people will go out of their way to help you start blogging (a special thank you to Oona (@oonziela) and Stacey (@iruntech)).
There is so much more I have learned about others (and teaching!) as a result of Twitter over these past months, but that is for another blog post, on another day. What I want to say now; however, is that Twitter also taught me about myself. It taught me that I need to slow down and reflect. It taught me to have the confidence to question what I am doing and make the necessary changes, and that it is OK not to get it perfect the first time around. Maybe most importantly in this moment, as I publish my first blog entry, it taught me that my thoughts matter because just like you reading this blog right now, my story is unique and may be of use to someone else, and that if I don't tell my story, someone else will.
This blog is dedicated to all the amazing teachers out there and is about never apologizing for being passionate, reflecting on the amazing, crazy life that we teachers live each day, and taking the next step in my journey. I hope you will come along with me.
