I was dreading this day. In all of the #TweetTheHalls challenges for 2020, this one stood out as the hardest.
Who inspires me as an educator?
Where do I even begin to make that list?
Every single day I have the privilege of working with dedicated, generous educators, who stop at nothing to make sure our kids are having the best possible learning experiences. If I start naming those who inspire me, I leave out some of the very people who have challenged my thinking and pushed me to reconsider my personal truths.
In fact, what I have learned, is that we need to seek out those challenges if we are going to grow in our work. It is often those who push the hardest that end up inspiring me the most.
Are we “willing to be disturbed”?
Perhaps, then, this #TweetTheHalls challenge is more about recognizing those moments of inspiration, and expressing gratitude for them. Rather than taking just one day to share those who contribute to our professional growth, it’s the building of a new habit. It’s pausing daily to recognize that none of us are alone in this work. Through conversation and collaboration, we continue to build our understanding of what teaching and learning needs to look like, of what a strong public education system is, and what equity really looks like in our daily work.
As I look back over my years in public education, I can visualize the points where my trajectory as an educator shifted, where someone took the time and had the courage to wonder with me, to integrate new ideas, and to broaden thinking.
I am so grateful to all of you. Learning is the work.
