A Teacher's Journal 48: Thank You for Listening!

I've been putting this journal off for hours this weekend because it's the last that I'll write as the Wake County Teacher of the Year.

Isn't that amazing?

It seems like only yesterday that I wrote my first entry, beginning a weekly routine that I have honestly enjoyed. On a personal level, writing here has been a source of great pleasure for me. I've used my time behind the keyboard to reflect on my beliefs and to refine and revise my own thinking. It has been a quiet, creative process, feeding me and helping me to grow as both a teacher and as a leader.

Professionally, this forum has allowed me to spark the minds and hearts of all of education's stakeholders. It became clear early on that I was touching nerves as parents, teachers, business leaders and community activists left messages of support and criticism time and again. I checked my feedback comments every day to see how others had reacted to my thinking. Creating work that resonated with others was my single motivation and my greatest reward.

Having my ideas picked up by local newspapers and discussed on radio stations left me jazzed time and again. As a passionate advocate for educators whose email auto-reply has often been "Hear our Voices, Honor What We Know," lending a teacher's understandings to conversations defining our profession has been an opportunity that has given me great satisfaction.

Now, it is an opportunity that is ending and I'm feeling a strange sense of sadness. I'm not quite sure what I'll do with two extra hours I'll have now that I don't have a weekly column to create. I'll miss modeling writing for my sixth grade students and the chance to share their successes with you. I'll miss celebrating teaching and documenting what it is that we do each day. I'll miss the chance to speak out about challenges facing our district and to shape our direction in some small way.

What I am sure of, however, is that like every ending, my last entry marks a new beginning!

In the upcoming months, we'll have the chance to hear from other Wake County teachers, looking into their classrooms and learning from their experiences. I look forward to watching "A Teacher's Journal" continue to grow over the next few years and hope it will be joined by "A Principal's Journal," and "A Parent's Journal." Adding additional viewpoints can provide new perspectives, helping each of us to make informed decisions that are in the best interests of our children and our schools.

For me, all that is left to say is, "Thank you for listening!"

Posted by William Ferriter at 11:21 AM on May 08, 2006 | Leave Feedback

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