Find Your People, Find Your Pod

 This weekend I had the honor to participate in my CTOY retreat, and I was able to finally meet more of my cohorts in person! The weekend was filled with laughter, plenty of photos, learning opportunities, and connections. This is nothing short of teacher magic for me! 

One topic we focused on for our workshop was the idea of teacher leadership. We discussed what it means and how to work on developing our own leadership skills (more in another post!) Those who know me this warmed my teaching heart because teacher leadership is one of my three loves of my teaching life (along with literacy and special ed.) 

For me, what made the retreat so special was the connections that I made with my cohorts (and other county teachers.) It was an opportunity for me to reflect on the importance of surrounding myself with others who are like minded and passionate about teaching like I am. When the ideas are flowing, we are creating, and the support emanates from every corner of the room, I know I am exactly where I need to be.  As teachers, it's essential to be around others who have the same values and share the journey with you. These are the people who are going to support you every step of the way. They are the ones who are willing to go the extra steps with you in order to make a difference. 

It is my personal goal to give back to the education community, and to learn more about other teachers so I gain a comprehensive perspective on what education looks like across the state. My cohort has done just that- connect with others to see what problems we can generate solutions for together. 

Arguably, the best part was the connection. I personally felt empowered and inspired by my cohorts stories of their time in the classroom, hearing what worked well, and hearing about others's preferences for instruction. It was what was unseen, what can't exactly be described that made the retreat so special. I felt an overwhelming amount of support from my new cohort friends. I realized how important this was and is to me and my journey as an educator. It's the people you meet that make that make the memories with you, and they cannot be replaced. 

This weekend allowed me to re-energize, reframe my thinking, and meet the people in my pod that will be my cheerleaders, colleagues, and friends. 

Final Thoughts- Keep networking to find the people and make your pod. Keep working together to do great things- it starts with one small step! And finally, keep supporting one another; it's what we need most right now in the profession from each other. 

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