Month: April 2021

I’m presently reading Living a Life You Love and The Courage to Teach; the latter is a classic given to me by my mentor when I accepted my first full-time university position.

Some 20 years later, but this time teaching in a secondary setting, I’ve chosen to re-read the book.

Perfect timing and a perfect duo-read. I had no idea that the two books would speak so profoundly and serve as confirmation.

While there are many choosing to leave education, . . .

While COVID-19 and its ramifications are continually calling us to rethink, reconsider, reimagine, . . .

While I have a spring high school teaching schedule that includes two six-week English 1301 courses, two eight-week English 1302 courses, two 15-week English 1302 courses, two high school Literary Genre elective courses, and a cross-listed high school independent study course, . . .

While I’m teaching predominately via Zoom and I love the relationship building, . . .

While I’ve recently fulfilled the 6th request to proctor one of the many tests administered this semester, . . .

I love education; I love the newness that yields itself when I take on a new educational arena, and I most assuredly love what my teaching brings out in my students and their instructor.

Living a Life You Love and The Courage to Teach–two titles, two authors, but the same theme, at least for me.

Most recently, I was asked which investment in my professional life has been most rewarding. My answer prompted me to share the current unit I’m teaching in my Dual Credit English classes.

Students are researching and writing about leadership; its been an exciting exploration but the peak of that excitement revealed itself as I read my student responses to CEO Anderson’s keynote address.

Mr. Anderson, at my invitation, came to Morocco to speak about strategic leadership during a Leadership Development Institute conference. I had Anderson’s presentation video recorded and my students, some 7 years later, listened to the presentation after researching a host of leadership styles.

It was most informative to see how students took this presentation to heart. Students discussed their values in view of Anderson’s shared values, their preconceived views about leadership in view of Anderson’s declaration on exceptional leadership, and they shared their newfound appreciation for having a vision–students recognized Anderson as an accomplished visionary leader.

For high school students completing post-secondary courses, I began the unit asserting that simply because of this latter experience, exposure, and unique mindset, when compared to peers, high school students with college education will be identified as leaders. With this said, the study and exploration of such a topic was most valid and has proven to be most rewarding.

So, of all my experiences, my willingness to go beyond the average person to grow and explore for the sake of benefiting my students has been most rewarding. The setting for this specific investment opportunity just happened to be in Morocco. The students benefiting, this time, from the endeavor are in Dallas, TX.