After 29 years in education, I left the classroom in June of 2023. It was the first time in three decades that I didn’t spend a summer prepping for a new batch of elementary school students, and it felt very, very strange….
I never envisioned myself leaving a career I had loved for so long, and it was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make.
Though I considered the idea of pivoting into various “teacher-friendly” careers hoping I’d find the perfect new job, I realized that what I was really searching for was the joy I once felt as a teacher.
I think it’s safe to say that in the United States, we are losing more teachers than ever.
But, many teachers do stay.
Their jobs are just as difficult. They have the same student behavioral issues, lack of parental support, insufficient planning time, and unsustainable work expectations.
So, what’s their secret?
This question continued to weigh heavily on me throughout the summer. Consequently, I began looking for answers…which then led me to a remarkable group of research-based articles rooted in the idea of mattering.
…and what I learned is heartbreaking.
That “thing” that makes some teachers’ jobs feel different? The reason they stay when others leave?
They are treated like they matter by their administration. Their opinions, expertise, personalities, and ideas are valued, respected, and appreciated.
The simplicity of this answer resonated with me so strongly that every time I thought about it, it brought me to tears.
So when the beginning of the new school year rolled around, I painfully watched and listened to many of my favorite teacher friends begin to struggle in all the same ways I had.
But this time, I was on the outside looking in.
So, in an attempt to show them how much they matter to me, their students, and the school community, I began to sneak into their classrooms (after or before school hours) with goodies and customized notepads of personalized doodles I’d created or, more recently, with sweatshirts I designed to remind them of how much they are loved. Then, I’d leave them on their desks without saying a word.
Because what I know for certain is this…
when teachers’ strengths and talents aren’t celebrated, they will not only begin doubting themselves as educators but also begin to lose the very joy that makes them outstanding, passionate, creative, AMAZING human beings.
And do you know what happens when teachers feel seen?
They cry.
They cry and say things like, “You have no idea how much I needed this right now” or “I was having such a terrible week and now I feel like someone cares.”
So, then I thought….I wonder what would happen if my favorite non-teachers received the same gifts.
Not only did non-teachers respond the same way, but they used the very same words to describe how they felt too.
Turns out the research is spot on. We all need to feel like we matter.
But the very best part? By reminding others of their significance in this world, I slowly and accidentally began to find my own joy again.
And so, just in case you’ve been doubting yourself too, please remember that…
Y O U M A T T E R
so much more than you think you do.
I promise. xo