Reflections

When my nephew unexpectedly passed away in 2021, I was catapulted into a new reality. One in which I was no longer the same educator as the year before and instantly knew I had a greater purpose. Entering this new world, my sense of reality had shifted and I no longer knew what was true. But I knew I had to fight like mad to find out. I felt like forces outside of my control were trying to prevent me from finding stable ground. This is what eventually led me to my guiding question: What do I know to be true?

In the midst of grieving, I stumbled upon the Fulbright program and it clicked immediately. This was meant to be my next step.  As someone who prided herself on being globally minded, I welcomed the process of unlearning and relearning that would be required. Like with most new ventures, hesitation crept in. What would it be like to interact with teachers across the country? Could I be authentically me? Would it be safe to express my true opinions? Would I be impacting the world of education in the ways I knew I was capable of? 

Turns out, dialoguing with my Fulbright peers has been nothing short of re-energizing. Rarely have I been in professional spaces where I felt permission to be myself. Since our International Field Experience, my Fulbright colleagues and I have been collaborating to present at conferences both locally and globally, participating in school-wide events together, and continue to stay in contact regularly. Likewise, my host teachers and I have remained in touch and have plans to connect our students as we move forward in the school year. 

The inspirational videos that were shared entitled, “Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, Ask Me Where I’m Local” and ”The Danger of a Single Story" especially left an impression on me. They validated that voice inside that had been telling me that there are more truths to be discussed and brought to the surface. Education can feel like a hampster wheel sometimes, and this experience reminded me that it’s okay to get off and move beyond it. In fact, it’s necessary. 

It’s ironic how looking back is what helps us to move forward. In doing so, I am hoping to continue revisiting the resources like these that were provided through this program to better myself as an educator and to keep fostering connections so that I can continuously add to my list of “What do I know to be true?”. Here is the list I generated from my time in Uruguay: 

Fun stationary is a great conversation starter. 

Calendars in primary grades are a must. 

Music is a great way to learn anything.

Community feels different in different places. No matter what definition you go by-it has a positive impact.

Diversity is layered and no matter which layer you are part of, whether it’s used as a strength or a barrier, is a choice. 

Teachers are the best humans on earth. 

When there is trust between teachers and students and teachers and administrators, it’s a whole new experience. 

Policy and government often clash with the status quo. 

To make a change, people will usually find fault in it first. 

The ones making the change are usually not the majority. 

Gratitude is key.

Ego and pride are different. Those working from a place of pride but not ego, seem to have the most contentment and openness. 

There is space for all religions races and sexes- if you want there to be. 

You don’t have to agree to coexist. 

Sunrises are serene everywhere. 

Playtime is a universal language.

Dessert has a separate stomach everywhere.

Children are not the problem.

As for the impact of our work, that is yet to be determined. Although the external impact hasn’t been as large as I envisioned it to be at this stage, the internal one has been. This is what I trust to continue guiding me to the next step, and the next, and so on…until those steps grow into leaps that grow into movements. The most meaningful part of this has been being given upward mobility that comes with a built-in village of reliable and knowledgeable supporters. Up until this experience, I had not recognized my contentment as a form of fear. Therefore, there was no need to lead the change I knew I could. I was scared to create the type of change I knew was necessary and that I knew I was capable of leading. I was scared of my own power. Now? If it’s creating fear, it’s exactly what I choose to explore.  

Regardless of where we may be in our perspectives, there is an undeniable need for global competence. The beauty of seeking a common purpose is that it helps us identify and reveal our truths as we strive to get to that common purpose. However, we don’t want the beauty of finding this common purpose to conceal the anger, ignorance, and injustices that also need to be addressed in order to create real change.

Through our coursework, we were asked to write to our future selves and in that letter, I wrote: 

Dear Future Self, 

First and foremost, well done. No matter where you are on your journey, I am proud of you for staying focused on saving the world in whatever corner of the world you find ways to do so. How are we doing in becoming a voice for the underrepresented and misrepresented? Were we able to gain traction for getting Global Competency into our curricula? Were we successful in gaining knowledge from overseas experiences and networking to include more voices in our local schools, cities, states, and country overall? Have we reached The White House to advocate for a more diverse curriculum that teaches students how to engage in challenging conversations at a younger age? Additionally, to change the formatting of how we are teaching to include more thinking routines? If not, keep going. Keep the vision in your mind, and the purpose in your soul. 

It is with this letter in mind that I am moving forward. Oh, and I am taking my nephew with me.