This past week has been a blur, and it’s just the beginning of a new school year. Except for me, it’s the beginning of another awesome journey as a teacher. Yesterday in front of the entire Rock Hill School District faculty and staff, I was honored by winning 2018-19 district teacher of the year. (I know, right?!) I’m still trying to process it all this morning.

I am passionate about teaching and learning, for myself, my children, and my students. I am passionate about improving; I know that mastery comes with hard work, perseverance, and research. I am passionate about leading by example and putting service before self. That is why all of this attention is so overwhelming. I work with fabulous colleagues within my school, within my community, and across North America. My professional learning community has no border, and I strive to bring that concept to my students, to understand the ripple effect our lives make on ourselves and others and on our future.

Earning 2018-19 district teacher of the year came with generous gifts from the district and the department of education for South Carolina. I was also awarded with a grant from our Rock Hill Schools Education Foundation that I will immediately put to use to help fund my field trip to a poetry workshop with my AP lit seniors next March. I was also awarded a year’s lease to a 2018 Civic from Honda Cars of Rock Hill! The outpouring of support from our community is incredible, but I hope that I can spread that support and recognition to more classrooms. No matter how much we love to close our doors and just teach, we need to be willing to welcome others, especially when that takes us into the hallways, into the community, and when needed into the offices of our elected officials and business leaders.

This profession cannot be done in isolation. Collaboration and communication is essential, but this includes listening to our students. Whether or not they’ll admit it, our students look to us for guidance and support before the content is ever addressed, and they have pretty amazing ideas. On the morning of my interview for the district teacher of the year, my time hop reminded me of two Bible quotes I previously used to wish my colleagues a good year:

• Titus 2:7-8 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech…
• Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

These (and many others) keep me focused on my students, keep me excited to teach and learn alongside them, keep me driven to be my best. I have no idea what to expect with the next stage of this process; then again I have no idea what to expect when I greet my students on August 20. Either way, it will be a wonderful and awesome journey! #LetsDoThis