I Am by Lola Brooks

I am not a score, I am more.
I am not a lesson, I am progressing
I am not failing, I am propelling
I am not a number, I am a wonder.

I am not just a person,
I am a beautiful, talented, extraordinary human being who teaches others to succeed by growing their strengths, strengthening their weaknesses, showing them love and building a friendship for life.

I Am A Teacher!

This was written on a morning when I felt anxious before I opened the door of my classroom. Teachers are on a pass/fail scale to determine what kind of Teacher they are based on their student’s scores regardless of school year (20-21), home life, income, attendance, mental health and many other factors.

We are tired of having to explain “what happened” when our scores don’t meet the district’s standards, but do show a student’s growth. We’ve watched our students grow from day 1 to day 180. We’ve seen them try when they were sick, tired, upset, happy, crying, mad, excited and sad. We are proud of them because they didn’t give up. They kept going. They failed, succeeded, grew, helped others, became stronger, trusted, and loved. They are ready. They may not have succeeded in the eyes of the district through a number, but they have succeeded as beautiful, talented, extraordinary human beings ready for their next adventure. And we are ready for them to fly.