(and sorry this is long... people have got me thinking... but I guess that
was the point?!)
I've been following this conversation with interest. For one thing, I have
rarely gone much more than about three years without making some sort of
significant shift in my job description even though I've basically been at
Stoneleigh-Burnham since 1985 (with a three-year hiatus at Pine Cobble
School). For another, as a teacher married to an administrator, I've
observed first-hand the difference between a 10-month and a 12-month
contract.
During my approximately 23-year career, I've started an AP French program,
expanded an Academic Skills program, completely reworked an ESL program,
worked on a major technology initiative, begun an instrumental music
program, made the shift from high school to middle school teaching, and
started a new middle school program. I'm sure lifelong learning is a trite
catch phrase to some (probably few if any on this list, but nonetheless to
some), but for me, like Peter, it's a way of life. And like Joel and
Marti, I've repeatedly had to acknowledge sadness at leaving behind
something for which I feel a great deal of affection and pride in order to
take the next road not-yet taken. I've got at least 18 years until
retirement (I'm in year 12 of a 30-year mortgage), and I'm sure many new
and exciting projects lie in my future. At the same time, I'm starting to
see some anchors that may endure through the rest of my career - for
example, I can't imagine teaching any place that wouldn't let me
incorporate the democratic way to at least some extent into my classroom,
and I can't imagine not working with middle schoolers.
At the same time, I'm making a conscious decision not to fast-track my
career. I still love being in the classroom too much to give it up
entirely, and if that means continuing as a 10-month teacher rather than
making the shift to being a 12-month administrator, so be it. Besides, for
many summers, I watched my wife head out to work at 7:00 in the morning
and not return home until about 6:00 at night for 10 of the 12 weeks our
school was on summer break, while I was getting hours and hours of
glorious, unscheduled time with our son throughout the day. I wouldn't
change any of that for the world. But... and this is important... neither
would she. She loved (loves) having the ability to move a school forward
in positive ways that are just way easier to accomplish from an
administrative position than as a teacher. And she, too, has spent a good
deal of time with our son, and they are incredibly close.
So what's best for one person may or may not be best for someone else. But
if you stay focused on what matters to most you (in my case, spending time
with kids and with my family) (and cats), you're not going to go wrong.
Take care,
Bill Ivey
Stoneleigh-Burnham School
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