As an educator, I was dissatisfied with schools and what I could do as an teacher. That's when I began to reach out to learn more, do better, and advocate for change. I spent a good deal of time over my 34-year career, and particularly in the last ten years, advocating and working for positive change in schools. Throughout these years, I was able to learn from many awesome educators online and in real time throughout the world.
In the past few years, it became apparent to me that good change in schools relied on good change in society. To serve students better required more than what we could do in schools alone--to serve students better relied on community changes too. Hungry, tired children who faced issues related to mental illness, lack of health care, poverty, troubled home situations, environmental pollution, violence, and other troubling circumstances were not able to earn with as much happiness or success as children who had their essential needs met. And to fulfill those children's needs required a systematic, broad approach to betterment. With this in mind, I became more interested in politics.
Not surprisingly, many of the education leaders I followed and learned from were politcally active. Their education posts not only taught me about how to be a better teacher, but those posts, conferences, podcasts, and lessons taught me about how to be a better advocate and citizen too.
When the pandemic struck, I retired from teaching after a 34-year career. With some underlying health conditions, dissatisfaction about the safety of school plans, and my growing interests in playing a different kind of advocacy role in society, I knew it was the right time to begin anew. I also knew that I was leaving my future students in good hands with a super teaching team and wonderful program.
What do I hope to do as a community advocate?
First, I will learn? I will learn about the community activism out there via research. I will also focus on becoming stronger so I am a comfortable public advocate. In this regard, I have some personal needs to shore up. Then I will choose an area to devote myself to. I suspect I'll begin that search in January or September 2022. This is an exciting transition. If you have any ideas for me, please let me know.