NWP Inspires
I logged onto my Facebook the other day to a post that said, “Talking with some friends about "cool teachers from high school" you made the list!” from a former student my first year of teaching. I’ve known him since he was 17 years old. He now is 29, married and lives in Denver, CO. We went to his wedding, correspond now and then, and visit when he is in town. I was touched that he thought of me on a random night in a random conversation. It got me thinking, how many other students have I possibly affected in my teaching career?
I began my teaching career because I wanted to make a difference. I did the retail thing and the waitress thing and knew I didn’t want my ultimate goal to be, “Make More Money” and the next year “To Make More Money than Last Year.” I wanted to “Be the change you wish to see in the world” --Gandhi. Teaching was a career that offered me this venue. I could teach reading and writing, but also teach the world and how we as citizens should contribute to this world.
So I began my first teaching job with my degree, a key to an empty room and a ball of ambition. I purchased my supplies myself, spent hours at home preparing lesson plans for three different novels a night and corrected mountains of papers. All my training at undergrad had prepared me to be a self-motivator, a goal getter. As time passed and my certification needed to be renewed, I headed back to school for more training. This was when I learned of the Red Cedar Writing Project housed on the campus of Michigan State University. It was there I could learn more about my practice and help renew my certificate. It was there my teaching life changed forever.
The experience gained from that summer of 2000 with the National Writing Project was transformative. It renewed my love of teaching. It gave me a network of hard-working teachers who had the same belief in the power of reading and writing. It gave me opportunities my own school district could not with training and conference opportunities. It taught me to be a leader, a facilitator and critical practitioner. It was and is my life-line. I am thoroughly saddened that our government does not feel NWP funding to be as vital and empowering as I do. I know I would not affect students without such valuable experiences.
So I ask again, how many students have I possibly affected? Did I make a difference? If I need a compass to determine if I’ve done my job, I don’t hang on the release of the test scores from the state. I don’t look to the government to see if their policy supports me. I look at the success of my students. Like Michael who has become an attorney who also spends time probono helping battered women in jail for defending themselves against their attacker. Like Holly who now teaches High School and coaches softball down South. Like Amanda who now teaches English in France, but will move on to Indonesia next. These students had a great support system at home which has led to great careers. Yet I like to think I helped move them along on their life goal and instilled encouragement, love and academics as well.
Thank you NWP for giving me the tools to inspire my students, teach my content and find new ways to feed my teaching soul and do the job I love to do despite the laws, the red-tape, or overall ignorance of the job I do.
Sincerely, Heather Lewis
Red Cedar Writing Project
I began my teaching career because I wanted to make a difference. I did the retail thing and the waitress thing and knew I didn’t want my ultimate goal to be, “Make More Money” and the next year “To Make More Money than Last Year.” I wanted to “Be the change you wish to see in the world” --Gandhi. Teaching was a career that offered me this venue. I could teach reading and writing, but also teach the world and how we as citizens should contribute to this world.
So I began my first teaching job with my degree, a key to an empty room and a ball of ambition. I purchased my supplies myself, spent hours at home preparing lesson plans for three different novels a night and corrected mountains of papers. All my training at undergrad had prepared me to be a self-motivator, a goal getter. As time passed and my certification needed to be renewed, I headed back to school for more training. This was when I learned of the Red Cedar Writing Project housed on the campus of Michigan State University. It was there I could learn more about my practice and help renew my certificate. It was there my teaching life changed forever.
The experience gained from that summer of 2000 with the National Writing Project was transformative. It renewed my love of teaching. It gave me a network of hard-working teachers who had the same belief in the power of reading and writing. It gave me opportunities my own school district could not with training and conference opportunities. It taught me to be a leader, a facilitator and critical practitioner. It was and is my life-line. I am thoroughly saddened that our government does not feel NWP funding to be as vital and empowering as I do. I know I would not affect students without such valuable experiences.
So I ask again, how many students have I possibly affected? Did I make a difference? If I need a compass to determine if I’ve done my job, I don’t hang on the release of the test scores from the state. I don’t look to the government to see if their policy supports me. I look at the success of my students. Like Michael who has become an attorney who also spends time probono helping battered women in jail for defending themselves against their attacker. Like Holly who now teaches High School and coaches softball down South. Like Amanda who now teaches English in France, but will move on to Indonesia next. These students had a great support system at home which has led to great careers. Yet I like to think I helped move them along on their life goal and instilled encouragement, love and academics as well.
Thank you NWP for giving me the tools to inspire my students, teach my content and find new ways to feed my teaching soul and do the job I love to do despite the laws, the red-tape, or overall ignorance of the job I do.
Sincerely, Heather Lewis
Red Cedar Writing Project
