MY WHY

“LIFE GIVES US CHOICES…YOU EITHER GRAB ON WITH BOTH HANDS AND JUST GO FOR IT, OR YOU SIT ON THE SIDELINES.” Christine Freehan

The one part about being an educator that I loved was to create meaningful lessons to teach to my elementary students. Unfortunately, my greatest passion was often pushed aside to attend meetings, fill out reports, talk with parents, prepare for observations, attend training, grade papers, and complete student portfolios that no one else would ever look at. Now that I am retired from teaching, I have the time and a greater opportunity to design amazing and engaging lessons. 

At the inception of my idea to create lessons for Teachers Pay Teachers, I focused on designing units for thousands of students across the country or maybe the world. As I wrestled with the courage to begin my work, it became clear to me that what I needed to do was to create a lesson for one student. When I continue to focus on who I would create for, the passion is hidden. Instead, I need to focus on why I would create a lesson, and that’s when the magic begins. 

The more I delve into this idea, the more I understand what excites me about the type of lessons I am capable of designing. My lessons should be designed to teach the way I learn best about topics that excite and motivate me. Believe me, after providing standards-based lessons for many years, the concept of creating what I am passionate about is a huge paradigm shift. 

Lessons that focus on my interests, created with my skills and talents refined over my three decade career of being an educator may not be a secret to success. So what if I don’t get to teach my lessons, and maybe no other teacher will be interested in teaching the lessons, I am at the threshold of realizing the vaulting scope of my own capacities. Do I have the courage to follow my passion despite the results?

You are reading a living blog; a growing, changeable account of my experiences and discoveries. It is truly meant for me to document my after-retirement journey as I come to grips with “what’s next.” It excites me that you stumbled across my words, and my hope is that maybe you too, will find some inspiration in my words, in my ideas, my ah-ha moments.