November Days of Gratitude: My colleagues. In education, that is a combination of scores of teachers, supportive administration, and indispensable support staff. Without all of them, I don’t know where I’d be. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the teacher I am.

From my first year teaching in 1990, when I would unabashedly arrive in the lunchroom with my “dumb new teacher” questions and my patient colleagues would take turns providing guidance, with so much kindness . . . they helped me survive as I strived to become the teacher I dreamed of . . .

to my three years as a first-grade teacher when, by sheer grace, I ended up on a team with two of the best first-grade teachers around.  They  helped me understand guided reading and “centers” . . . they helped make me a better middle school teacher, ironically enough . . . 

to my current team who share all the “heavy lifting” required to reach ALL students (because as one of our administrators says, “all means ALL”) . . . they make it easier to come back to work each day, especially after those particularly tough, coffee-isn’t-enough, kind of days . . .

I am eternally grateful.  I’ve had the blessings of sharing laughter and tears, sharing crazy story-filled days and crazy days that I’d sometimes like to forget. My colleagues have been — and continue to be — my village.  We all need one.