30 years. For 30 years I’ve called myself a teacher. I haven’t always officially been called a classroom teacher; I’ve been called an academic achievement specialist, an instructional coach, staff development leader, and an instructional specialist. I’m newly retired, yet I will always call myself a teacher.
I earnestly started packing away my teaching life in March. Luckily, my routes on this education journey had changed enough times that this wasn’t my first time to pack things up. However, it was the first time that I considered ending my journey. My journey isn’t over, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way are worth sharing.
The invitation to my retirement celebration included these words: colleague, educator, friend, visionary, mentor, and teacher. Sharing the stories that helped me earn those titles allows me to continue calling myself a teacher. All 30 years of my career involved middle school reading and writing instruction, so my stories will highlight my experiences as I blazed the literacy trail I navigated for those 30 years.
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