True Stories from #EveryTeacherEveryDay

In December, we reached out to our teachers to ask them what inspires them in the classroom. We have received numerous heartfelt responses from teachers all over the country just like you. Some are thriving, some are struggling, many are somewhere in between. As teachers, we know these feelings can change from day to day (or hour by hour). Our hope in the #EveryTeacherEveryDay movement is that you will read stories that you can relate to on a deep level. 

We welcome you to follow along throughout the month of January as we shine a spotlight on some of the stories we’ve heard. We are here for #EveryTeacherEveryDay

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Tatiana Grogan (@growwithgrogan)

Photo of Tatiana Grogan, a teacher featured for #EveryTeacherEveryDay

Meet Tatiana Grogan, an elementary school teacher from Colorado.

She shared with us her #EveryTeacherEveryDay story.

The obvious answer [to what inspires me] is my students. Even though some days I want to kick, scream, tear my hair out, and tell them all the ways they are ratcheting up my anxiety. I don’t. These students are resilient. They have been through the pandemic and back, yet many are giving their best. Much like me, their best doesn’t look the same day to day or even hour to hour. School has become exhausting. Education has become this politicized machine. Our youth and educators at all levels are becoming the collateral damage of this arms race of what content and which methods are appropriate for the next generation of society. That is an entirely different essay for another day. 

 

Despite the barrage of buzzwords and shifts in education, my students inspire me. If they can bounce back from a bad day or a blow to their confidence and self-esteem then so can I. We feed off of each other’s energy and emotions. I do my best to model for them how to regulate and take a moment when I’m about to flip my lid. When a student is goading me into a power struggle, I do not pick up that rope. I do not give into my baser instincts and give the student the negative attention they may be seeking. I tell them I will talk to them when they are calm and ready. This also gives me a chance to respond appropriately to the student’s needs and not make a spectacle. [We couldn’t agree more, Tatiana! For more classroom management tips and ideas, click here.]

 

My students and I have such a special relationship because I will never have another class with the same lived experiences, same personalities, and same type of growth. I grow with my class throughout the year and with each subsequent class. My why and my how are my students. They help me grow as much as I hope I am helping them grow.

Toria Randle (@DrRandlebhz)

Photo of Toria Randle, a teacher featured for #EveryTeacherEveryDay

Meet Toria Randle, an elementary ESL teacher in Memphis. 

She shared with us her #EveryTeacherEveryDay story.

My inspiration comes from seeing students showing up every day ready to learn. When my students ask me as they are coming into school in the mornings, “Are you picking us up for ESL class?” it makes me smile knowing that they value my presence in their educational paths. The support of colleagues as I navigate my first few years as a new ESL teacher, and knowing that when I’m not at my best, I can turn to my colleagues and ask for advice on how to make my instructional practices better, is a thought that wakes me up in the mornings. [Amen, Toria! Here are more ideas for how to make the most of educational teamwork.]

 

I am truly honored to be a part of teacher legacies everywhere as a shining star in a student’s life. No matter the tiresome days, the configuring of lesson activities to meet their individual needs, or the desire to throw in the towel because of district mandated requests above our abilities at times, I am motivated to complete the “heartwork” that must be done in order to secure the futures of our future. Knowing I matter in my profession is the most rewarding part of it all.

Please share these inspiring, heartfelt teacher stories with your friends and colleagues. There is plenty more to come–and may be just what someone needs to feel heard. We are here to support #EveryTeacherEveryDay.

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