What Really Matters? Changing Lives.

It's that time of year again in education. The end draws near. At my school, we started the final quarter of this school year last week. A lot of stuff comes with that. Seniors are almost finished, really finished. Everyone--teachers and students--has summer on the mind. Prom, scholarships, letters of recommendation, graduation, testing, and a ton of other stuff that all comes at the end of the school year. Most of it exciting and fun. But not all of it.

Some kids are moving after the year ends and may be kind of nervous and anxious about the unknown. Seniors are leaving the world they've known for 13 years and struggle with uncertainty too, even while they're excited about the prospects. Teachers, as relieved as they are to see the light at the end of the tunnel, this can be a stressful time too.

Teachers' contracts are year-to-year, so everyone is wondering if they're contract will be renewed. Testing is stressful for teachers too, since results are often tied to their evaluations and their future employment contracts. Some teachers will be changing grades or subjects next year, and that brings plenty of stress. Then there are the year-end evaluations. In Arkansas, teachers are ranked 1 - 4 on a long list of "TESS Domains." These are basically characteristics that a lady named Charlotte Danielson decided a while back make a good teacher. 

So, even though there's a lot for teachers to be happy and excited about, the end of the year comes with its share of worry too. 

I've already been in discussions with a lot of teachers from all over who are concerned about these things to be tackled in the coming weeks. Many are nervous, worried about their future. So here's a little advice for all who are struggling as we enter the rough waters of these closing weeks of the school year. What REALLY matters?

As all these thoughts and struggles were eating at me this week, I wrote several letters of recommendation for my graduating seniors. One of those kids, in their reply thanking me for the letter, wrote, "You've changed my life..."

When I read that, I realized that's all that really matters in this job! Did we make a difference? Are there kids on whom we made an impact? That's ALL that really matters.

The words that kid wrote mean more to me than a contract renewal, more than what subject or grade I'll teach next year, more than their grades or their scores on standardized tests, and more than a 1 or a 4 on my year end evaluation. "You've changed my life..."

I'll keep doing my best every day from now until the school year is over. I still want my kids to score well on their AP Exams. I still want my seniors to finish strong. I still want my underclassmen to be prepared for the courses they'll take next year. I still want to be the best teacher I can be for all my students and my colleagues. 

But as far as I'm concerned, those words--"You've changed my life..."--are more validating than strong test scores, GPAs, final grades, or evaluation marks could ever be. However all the rest of that stuff shakes out no longer matters. I'm no longer worried about any of it. 

For all you teachers out there changing lives, that's what really matters. Really, it's ALL that really matters.