I was sorting through some of my old blog post drafts recently, and I came across one that I wrote during my relief teaching years. As I entered my second year of relief teaching, I was feeling discouraged and was trying hard to change my perspective. Although I found it difficult at the time, the fact that I was able to shift my perspective, even for a short while, to be more positive is something that I’m now encouraged to read. So, here is a post from about 5 years ago that was almost never published. I hope that it encourages you to notice the power of perspective in your own teaching situation. 

It’s a new year and I’ve come full circle, back to where I was this time last year. I still haven’t ‘made it’ as a teacher. I am still working on a casual basis, constantly on call and with no routine. I have no class of my own, and no students who I can journey with throughout the year. I do not belong to one school but go between schools each week. My income is inconsistent and I’m lacking a sense of purpose. I am waiting for a job that may not arrive. I’m finding this year to be more difficult than the last. 

Or

It’s a new year and I’ve come full circle, back to where I was this time last year but with fresh perspective and deeper knowledge. I do not need a permanent job in order to ‘make it’ as a teacher. I am already a teacher. I work as a casual relief teacher and each new day brings something unexpected. I am learning to be flexible and resilient to change.  I meet new students with each day of work. I get to play a small but significant role in their learning journey. I have the privilege of working in more than one school, allowing me to see and learn different ways of doing things, and applying the strategies I like best to my own teaching. I am blessed to have such a high-paying job. I know that my purpose is not found in my work, but that my work only shapes and allows me to express the person that I already am. The job that I have now is the only one I need to focus on. With each year comes new challenges but they are balanced by new rewards and successes. I’m finding this year to be more exciting than the last. 

If you’d like to read more of my musings, then take a look at this post where I reflect on the power of children’s drawings.

Have a question or a request? You can contact me at blueskydesignsbymrst@gmail.com.