The Journey to Where I Was Meant to Be: HOME

Have you ever been stuck in a comfortable place, but know in your gut that it’s time for a change? You muster up the courage to take that step and it becomes the most rewarding experience of your life. That’s just what I did. 

I previously taught four-year-old kindergarten at Nursery Road Elementary School for nine amazing years. I developed relationships, supported students in their first school experience, coached parents through their “babies” going to school, grew as a teacher, and became a mom. I was content and comfortable. My only complaint was the long commute between school and home. For years, I dismissed that comfortable feeling as confidence and finally knowing what I was doing as a teacher. 

But that wasn’t it. I was too comfortable and content — not pushing myself to grow beyond my comfort zone. 

I knew I needed to step out of my comfort zone and do what was best for me, my family, and my teaching career. But just because I knew what I needed to do, doesn’t mean the decision was easy. It was hard, stressful, and confusing. It stirred up feelings of anxiousness, self-doubt, and questions of, “What if?” I learned that even though change can be challenging when you follow your heart, it can also be rewarding. 

Three years ago, I accepted a job teaching first grade at the school in my community where my children were zoned to attend.

From the moment I walked across the historic wood floors in the main building at Little Mountain Elementary School, I knew I was “home.” 

Had I not taken this leap of faith three years ago, leaving a comfortable place, I wouldn’t have learned so many new things about teaching first grade. I wouldn’t have had the experience of helping students become fluent readers, eager to pick up books. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to teach in the community where I live. The change allowed me to be involved with my students and their families inside and outside the school building. This leap of faith has helped me grow and advocate for myself as a teacher and a student. 

I have learned to love teaching at another grade level, in another school and district. Being nominated by my peers as Teacher of the Year shows I am positively impacting the students, teachers, and community. I am investing in the students in my community, and in turn, in my community’s future.  And now through this writing, I can share my voice on my journey “home,” to Newberry County School District.

Three years later, it’s hard to imagine teaching or being anywhere else. Working with a team of teachers you love and respect makes it even better! The School District of Newberry is supportive of its teachers and students.

It is rewarding to work for a district that values you. 

I have renewed my National Board Certification and completed all required classes for my Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina. I have been granted permission from the district office to conduct my research for the defense and completion of my dissertation. For the next two years, I will serve on the teacher forum for the district, where I will have the opportunity to share my voice, and the voices of my fellow teachers, with the superintendent and district office staff. I do all of this with the full support of my school district. 

Over the past two years, teachers have participated in the creation of the district’s Instructional Delivery Model (IDM) which will be implemented this school year in Newberry County. All staff provided input in the development of this model. It will be used “to promote a common instructional language, promote consistency, and focus on exemplifying and expanding the best practices identified by our teachers.” The district allows teachers to mentor students from a local high school (Mid-Carolina High School) and Newberry College, to come and learn from us, providing an opportunity to showcase our excellent school, district, and the amazing students we teach. 

In another example of districtwide collaboration, schools explored and evaluated different reading curricula approved by the state. Each grade level ranked the curriculum on many criteria. Our data was compiled as a school, and the district used this data to make an informed decision on the reading curriculum that our district would use. Having this platform to share our voices made our opinions feel valued. We used a critical eye when evaluating each resource, considering what would best fit the needs of our students. 

Though my journey didn’t start at Little Mountain Elementary, I know all my experiences led me here.

My prior experiences shaped me into the teacher I am. I am constantly reminded of why I decided to leave a comfortable place and am rewarded for this decision by the students I teach and the school district I serve. Seeing the small steps my students take toward their educational goals inspires me to keep chasing my dreams. The excitement on their faces when they learn something new or read a chapter book for the first time is beyond satisfying. 

While everyone’s journey is different, that feeling of being “home” leaves a lasting impression and impacts the lives you touch.