Doug Robertson (@TheWeirdTeacher) posted recently on Twitter about his frustration with the quitting martyr teacher posts that always seem to go viral on Facebook about this time of year. Shared by educators and non-educators alike. I've seen them, of course. We've all seen them. I've read them, and I hear their words. They decide to burn it down when they leave, I suppose, filled with frustration and anger and sadness, too, perhaps.
But Doug's Twitter thread really resonated with me, y'all. And then this morning someone in the thread (@MoniseLSeward) suggested we use the hashtag #WhyIChooseToStay to share our stories. Yeah, I son't know that it was necessarily meant as an actual call to share, but I loved the idea, so here's mine.
I just completed year 28 as an educator. I've been a kindergarten teacher, an elementary teacher of grades 2,3,4,5, an elementary school teacher-librarian, an intermediate school teacher-librarian, a middle school teacher-librarian and am currently a high school teacher-librarian. In that time, I've seen and experienced many things, not all of them fantastic, so why do I choose to stay?
I'm here to make a difference. Here, as in on this earth, in this time and place, in my particular town, on my particular campus.When you are here to make a difference you know going in it isn't always going to be rosy. That's why a difference needs to be made in the first place. Some days are so incredibly beautiful and soul-filling. Some days my lessons are extra-fantastic and I'm able to really be in the moment with people, knowing that helping them use the digital resources are find just the right book is actually helping them with so much more than that. Knowing that I am a positive force in the world feels great.
Other days are harder. I get frustrated with testing culture and people making monumental decisions about public ed who have zero experience with it in the first place, and yes, those things can get to me. And in the midst of them getting to me, I breathe and I find my teacher family and when I can't do it, they remind me of my purpose until I remember it again. Those moments are lessons for me, and also those around me because friends, real life is both beautiful and hard. As author and activist Glennon Doyle says so perfectly, life is freaking brutiful. I'm learning every day to embrace the glorious messiness of life.
Every single job on the planet has its ups and downs. I'm not for one moment suggesting that all is perfect and fabulous in the education world. It isn't. I believe so strongly in public ed as a keystone component of our great democracy ---and I believe I can make greater shifts from WITHIN it than I would be able to from outside the public education arena. Daily. Doing the work. Being present. Being real about things that need to shift or change completely. Learning how to have the hard conversations that allow us to slowly move forward.
I stay because the kids are awesome. Not to disparage any other work, but for me, the thought of NOT working with kids just seems really sad. My teens are brilliant and funny as hell and full of life. Even on their worst days it is never the kids that make me question my life's work decision. It is an honor to be that person for many of them. The one holding safe space for them. The one with the listening ear. I have hot tea, cozy seating, and plenty of tissues in my office for when the need arises. I love seeing their faces when they get something they've been trying to figure out, when they celebrate their successes, and when they feel like they are on top of the world. I love the whole craziness of Promposals in the library and the general silliness of the joyful shenanigans that go on. No office in the world can hold a candle to the level of fun we have on the daily in my space.
I stay because I believe that public ed is a cornerstone of democracy. I believe in public ed with all my heart. I believe that everyone deserves a free and wonderful education. I believe in equity. I believe in pushing all children to learn and grow. I believe that our top students need to be challenged but not overloaded, and that our children with learning differences need folks that don't give up on them either. I believe that our future leaders need sound strong educational foundations, and that the scientists who will one day cure terrible diseases and save the environment now walk in our hallways. I believe that the best way out of the chaos of poverty, illiteracy, and willful ignorance is to teach our children well, that they might grow up able to make a better world. Are we there yet? Nope, but I see so many educators in there, doing the work, so many kids in there, growing and thinking and ready to be positive forces in this world that it gives me hope. The wheels of change move slowly---often painfully so, but movement in the right direction is still a win compared to sitting on the couch complaining.
So, yes, there are a ton of epistles out there on the reasons folks leave. This gig is hard, it is often not pretty, and many of the folks leaving have valid points we should hear. We must continue to seek to do better, to be better in our education world. I wish them all the best in their new endeavors and I don't think less of them because they made a choice that was different from mine, but was best for them. Life is too short to be miserable, and honestly, the kids don't need to deal with a teacher that is miserable either---they know. Kids can totally tell even if you think you are hiding it well.
And yet, we need to hear the many reasons people stay, too. It doesn't mean we don't see the issues, it means we have chosen to stay in the arena and do the work from here to try to shift things. It means we still find joy in the work, and bring joy to the work. I invite you to share your story. I'd love to hear it.
Here and staying,
Sonja
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