I have recently started teaching first grade in Seattle Public Schools. This is my 18th year in education. I’ve had the opportunity to live and teach all over the world (China, Guatemala, Hungary, Morocco, Los Angeles…), and have spanned the ages from Kindergarten all the way up to the university level.
I was born and raised in the Seattle area and went to the University of Washington (it’s hard to write a bio without finding some way to work in a little “Go Huskies!”). I never imagined I would be a teacher, but sort of stumbled into it, and discovered the tremendous joy of the classroom.
Teaching well means that we can’t lock ourselves in the classroom, building construction paper fortresses. It requires maintaining a healthy, balanced life outside of the classroom, as well as staying involved with the policies that impact our students every day. Participating in this blog is one way to lend my voice to the conversation.
By Travis
As I turned on my classroom lights this morning, I saw an envelope, sitting, in the middle of the floor. It was out of place. I paused as I picked it up, wondering. Someone had slipped the envelope under my door late last night (I left school at 6 pm) or the did so early this morning (I arrived at 7 am).
The note was from a former student. As I read, I was torn between the emotional beauty of being a teacher, and the sad reality of how Washington State views its teachers. I believe this is a feeling many teachers have had recently.