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I am noticing a common theme among teacher influencer platforms. Among the posts featuring Pinterest-decorated classrooms, “Day in the Life” videos, and all-too-familiar “stories from the classroom,” teachers are beginning to discuss how they averted teaching from consuming their identity. This theme started a spiral of anxious, self-deprecating thoughts centering around one question: “Is teaching all that I am?”
It is ironic, however, for teachers on social media to talk about the separation of teaching from other fragments of their identity. In the era of social media, “success” is defined by the number of followers; the path to success depends on the brand development. And with individual “influencers” (ew, I know, I don’t like that word either), their brand is built upon one specific skill, attribute, and, sometimes, a profession.
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I’m done. . .and wait what I’m graduating?! I need to repeat that again to make it feel more real. I’m done student teaching, and in two weeks, I’m graduating college.
The next time I enter a classroom, it will be my own. After (at least) 600 hours in the classroom, the universe has determined that I am ready to be a teacher. Soon, I will receive my licenses and officially become Miss Hesterman to a group of curious, goofy agents of change. Throughout the past year, I have jumped from one end of my licensure to another. (For those of you who are new –hello!– I will earn a license in both general and special early childhood education.) In those 24 weeks of early mornings and endless adventures. . . Follow Journal of a Future Teacher on social media!
This short story is a sister to the commentary, “Standing at a Crossroads.” To gather context into the metaphorical crossroads and more details about the ultimate announcement, click HERE.
Fellow soon-to-be-college-graduates, I wonder if you can relate to this short story. I’m sure you’ve heard or lived a similar version.
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This post is a sister to the short story, “The Waiting Game.” To read an in-depth reflection of waiting for an ultimate decision, please read the short story here.
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.
And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far I could To where it bent in the undergrowth." (excerpt from Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken") I’ve been hiding something from you. For the past year, I have been making plans behind the scenes while biting my fingernails in impatience and anxiety. It’s time for college seniors to announce their post-graduate jobs, adventures, and graduate school placements. So, in the spirit of celebration, I will end this post with a similar announcement. However, first I’d like to glimpse into the path to get here. |
AuthorMeghan Hesterman (she/her) is an aspiring educator, storyteller, and traveler. Through regular posts and commentary, she candidly reflects on her evolution as an educator and young adult. Categories
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February 2025
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