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Do Substitutes Matter?
Why I decided to become a substitute teacher I was a classroom teacher for five years. The principal of our school was a strong woman, a no-nonsense woman with a huge heart and high expectations. I trusted her and enjoyed working with her. It was what my young thirty-something-year-old self needed, a strong female example of a good leader. She helped me grow as a teacher, and she let me express my creativity in my lesson plans instead of following a cookie cutter template.
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To Heal Or Not To Heal
A little voice carried across the table. “Why did you end MYSTIC that way?” Students gathered around waiting for me to sign their books. I heard her question and desperately wanted to answer. However, I had made a promise not to give away the ending to some of her fellow students who were halfway through MYSTIC.
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When You Disappoint Someone You Love
One of the worst feelings in the world is disappointing someone you love. It was a sunny, cool Florida day. I woke with my usual energy before traveling. All the chores that I had ignored were suddenly calling to me.
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Decide
To decide or not decide. I’m an expert at thinking things over for an indiscriminate amount of time. There’s freedom in deciding not to decide. I can dip my toe in the water and then take time to think some more. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow…
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Commitment Plus Effort Equals Success
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” William Shakespeare Commitment Next month my husband Eric and I will have been together for twenty-eight years. We’ve reached a point in our relationship where I’m thinking something, and he’ll suddenly bring up the subject I was thinking of. Or we speak the same sentence at exactly the same time–like the other night at dinner which really freaked out our daughter. “Creepy.” We know what irritates each other and we know how to resolve conflicts fairly easily or in other words, Eric knows exactly what to say to appease me. “Would you like me to call someone to repair the…
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Follow Your Path
There have been many lessons I’ve learned over the years, but one of the greatest is the importance of following your own path. Your path is yours and yours alone. Don’t follow someone else’s path because it’s what they want you to do or compare yourself to others. When you’re brave enough to do whatever it is you’re supposed to do, you will be fulfilled. Living a life of purpose, your purpose, no matter how much education or money you have leads to feelings of contentment and joy. When you’re happy with where you are in life, you’ll be happy for others. When you’re frustrated with where you are in life,…
