Thoughts from Rachel...

Change. Just the thought of change can raise anxieties even in the most zen of people. Think about the first day of school. How many of you slept well the night before school started? Probably very few. That's because we didn't know exactly what was headed our way. Would this class be similar to the class we had last year? Would we be able to partner well with all of our parents? Would this new curriculum be engaging and exciting for our students? These thoughts swirled around our heads and (typically) resulted in a terrible night's sleep. Lack of sleep plus stress of the unknown likely created a highly exhausting first day of school.

But we all made it through the day. While tired, we felt relieved. Our students were great, our lessons went well, and our families were excited to get to know us. Even when something didn't go well, we went home and thought about ways to make it better tomorrow. There was a sense of relief in knowing what we was ahead of us this school year. The unknown was gone. We went home eager for a new year, excited to adapt to a new class or a new curriculum.

This happens every year! And every year, we get better as educators, because we grow and change each new year, with every new class of students with whom we work.

The same is true for any change. While we worry because we are facing an unknown, change only makes us better. There are so many benefits to change. Change pushes us out of our comfort zone, which challenges us to examine our own beliefs, opinions and assumptions. Change opens the door to experiencing new opportunities. Change makes us more flexible and adaptable. And finally, change enables us to say "Yes" more. Change gives us the chance participate in new experiences, which it turn makes life more fun!

So, while change can be stressful, it can also make us better educators. Let's choose to focus on how change will only make our Firestone community a stronger, more innovative, and more joyful place to teach and learn. As the quote below says, "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." Enjoy the journey!

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