Teacher Leadership: A New Opportunity

 It's with great pleasure I can finally share with everyone some exciting news...


It is an honor to announce that I will be serving as the 2022-2023 Middlesex County Teacher of the Year. This past year has been a whirlwind as I navigated through the application process. At the start of the process, I wasn't sure what to expect. Now I have a clear picture, and although the process required a lot of moving parts (essays, resumes, videos, etc.,)  it was well worth the effort. 

I decided to share this news not just to explain the process or make the announcement, but to share my message. As I've shared, the three loves of my teaching life are special education, literacy, and teacher leadership. Literacy is the cornerstone of equity, and working with pre-service and early educators to learn best practices has been a highlight of my career. I feel that all three are truly intertwined, and teaching is not just a job, but a life's calling to a noble profession in sharing a love of lifelong learning with students and their families. Teaching is also the profession that makes all others possible. It is my goal this year to share this message with everyone, and share my love for teaching. 

I was once asked "Why do you define yourself as a teacher? You are your own person." My answer to this was, is, and always will be; Teaching owns a major part of my heart, and my heart is who I am. I couldn't define myself any other way but by what's in my heart. 

My advice for you as a teacher is to reflect on what is your important message you want to share with others in our profession, and the world? Take a few minutes to think about it, and if you can, write it down. Have this with you as you prepare for the back-to-school season, and know what your platform is you're passionate about! We need vibrant, dedicated,  resilient, and caring educators to carry the torch and light the way brightly for our students. 

Final Thoughts: Keep aspiring to achieve your dreams and goals. Keep exploring what your message is, and keep sharing it with others. Finally, keep up your journey of lifelong learning and making a difference! 

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