I remember the moment as if it were yesterday.

I was standing at the back of a 2nd grade classroom at Sunshine Cottage, a reverse inclusion school for the hearing impaired.

I was there as a part of my honors language course… because I was NOT, I repeat NOT, going to be a teacher.  I was going into Communications, thank you very much.

But as I stood there…feeling the energy of the room….

         I knew I had no choice. 

I turned to my friend and said softly, “Well, dang.  This is what I’m supposed to do.”

“Do what?” she asked.

“This.  All this… I’m supposed to TEACH.”

Although that was more than 30 years ago, I’ve never looked back and I’ve never second-guessed.

From that moment I knew.

        I knew because of the energy in the room.

Fast forward 32 years, a career in the classroom, a Masters degree, and a decade as an instructional leader… and here I am.  In a new room.  With a new energy.

              And it’s good. 

Today, in the midst of Job Fair madness,  I couldn’t help but stop, sigh, and smile.

“Well, dang. This is what I’m supposed to do….”

I’ve hit the next stage of my life as an educator.

Now it’s my job to go out and recruit for my district…my schools….my kids.  My mantra?  Get good people.  Keep good people. 

How could I do anything else?  Our kids deserve it.

…and as I breathe the air and read the room — the energy of the room — I know that it is good.

The optimism and excitement of folks soon to be teachers…  my goodness!  It’s magical.

And I’m so blessed to have found myself here in the place.

…because this is where I’m supposed to be.  I can feel it in the energy of the room.

           Then sings my soul….

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