Taking the Plunge

For as long as I can remember I have had a love affair with language. I began reading at a precocious age, and by the time I was enrolled in formal education I had taken to pencil and paper to begin writing stories of my own. Crayon portraits would accompany these tomes to help bring my stories to life.

It's no surprise that, in adulthood, I have thrived as a high school English teacher.

Despite my adoration of language, I have found the task of blog writing to be daunting. Will I have time? Will I have content in which to write about? Will I be consistent? Will anyone read this, and, if they do, will they enjoy what I have to say? Will anyone, myself included, care?

The 2019-2020 school year will mark my fifth year teaching in Palmyra, NJ. As a licensed educator, this will be my sixth year teaching overall. Like anyone in the teaching profession, repetition from year to year can leave even the most creative of us feeling stale.

In an effort to avoid this stagnant feeling, I have promised myself to switch it up this year and give myself a well-needed refresh. This "renaissance" focuses on several pieces of my educational life: the content and activities I teach, the decorations in my classroom, the rules, expectations, and procedures my students will follow, and even my own mindset as an educator.

Thus, a blogger is born.

I'm hoping to use this format as an outlet to help keep track of my progress throughout the year. This blog will serve as a reflection tool, a motivational push, and a place to share ideas, experiences, and observations in the high school English classroom. Life is all about trial and error, and teaching is no different.