In a word, determined.

In a word, determined.

If I am being honest with myself, I secretly hate these types of trends. Although, I suppose by posting this it is no longer a secret. “Pick a word to define your year” sounds like writing a horoscope for myself.

 

But, that sort of negative thinking isn’t going to get me anywhere. What I need is determination.

 

I have a difficult year ahead of me. I have to pass certification exams. I have to take two 8-week fast terms that start in March and will undoubtedly ruin my sleep schedule come April. I have to unload the dishwasher.

 

All four years of my undergrad experience have culminated in this semester. Am I going to succeed? Yes, if I remain determined. If I can work methodically and diligently, I will be transitioning into a full-time teaching career come late summer. But that’s difficult. It would be easier to give up now and apply for some easy, data entry job in any one of the hundreds of corporate offices in downtown Houston.

 

Sometimes, it’s tempting to give up and go work some boring 9-5 in the city. My work will be meaningless (at least to me). But my bills will be paid. I’ll have a little free time. Cubicles are cool.

 

But taking the easy way out feels like cheating. I want to teach. And if I’m going to teach I’ll need to show the same determination I’ll expect from my students.

 

Literacy is hard. Especially without a proper foundation laid at a young age. That’s the reality for many secondary students. They lacked the support in their early years and need to both catch-up and develop the grade-appropriate skills simultaneously. I can’t imagine how difficult that is for them. Who am I to ask these students to try if I give up?

 

Teaching is not an easy job. I didn’t choose it because it was easy. I chose it because I’m passionate about teaching others. Even after this semester, it isn’t as though my life will get miraculously easier. The determination will need to continue through the end of this semester, through the end of the year, the year after that, and after that, and after that…

 

So maybe picking a word of the year isn’t so bad after all. I’m going to need to get used to this word if I’m going to make it. 

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