If you know me, then you know I’m a feeler. I feel widely and I feel deeply. I become consumed in my feelings sometimes and I wear my feelings on my sleeve… Right out there in the open. I’m not ashamed of that at all.
Summer is important to me because I need time to sit down, unwind, and reflect on the past 9 months of my life. I need that time to reflect on my 22 littles, reflect on the struggles and hardships, reflect on the wins and celebrations, reflect, reflect, reflect.
I’ve been in my school for five years (with a year in another school, but there’s no need to talk about that) and there’s some things I’ve learned about being in the same building for a good chunk of time.
1. You make friends. I remember walking into my school for the first time. For one, I had never even been in the town before getting hired so the first trip to my school was scary. New town. New people. New everything. Plus, it was so far from the reality that I knew. It was an hour north of where I lived at the time- where all my friends were, where all the places I loved were. But, I got blessed with people that I grew very close to. In fact, one of my teammates instantly became my best friend. Like she said to me yesterday, “It was like love at first sight! Except best friends at first sight!”
2. You build relationships with ALL kids. It doesn’t matter if you had them in your class or not. There’s not many kids that I don’t know at this school. Walking through the halls and being able to say, “Hi Creed” and “Hey Piper, how are you today?” is a great feeling. Barely being able to make it down the hallway in under ten minutes because of all the hugs you receive while doing so is a great feeling. Knowing that you’re loved and they love you back is a great feeling. You build relationships with parents too. There’s parents that you can talk to about life and that’s truly a great thing.
3. You are comfortable. Is that always a good thing? I think comfort can be good and bad. It’s can be pure heaven at times. But, when I’m comfortable, I have to make myself challenge myself. I love a challenge. I love to be tested to the limit. Can I do this? Of course I can.
4. When you love where you are and what you do, it’s hard to leave.
That last statement leads me to my next adventure. With all that said, I accepted a position teaching first grade in the town I live in. I have no doubt in my mind that I will have all these great things that I had at my old school at this school. I know I’ll have friends. I know I’ll build relationships with the kids, parents, etc. I’m leaving one Leader In Me school (a Lighthouse school actually!) for a school beginning their Leader In Me adventure. I’m leaving one great team for another. I’m leaving one great staff and one great group of kids for another. I know great things are going to happen and I’m so excited for this new adventure.
I think the most important part of my reflection is that I’m learning change is an amazing thing. From someone who has been scared of change her whole life, this is a big attitude adjustment for me. I’m learning to embrace change and challenge myself in new ways. I know what I’m capable of and I need to embrace it. Everyone that I’ve met in my new district has told me how much I’m going to love it here and I have no doubt in my mind how much I’ll love it… If I don’t love it even more than they say I will 🙂
Cheers to reflection! It’s a powerful learning tool.

Congrats on the move! I know how hard it can be to leave where you are already feeling strong! You will do great with your positive attitude and reflection!
Erin
Very Perry Classroom