May 15, 2026 – Reflecting on my Journey

Currently, I am having a unique opportunity to be in schools to work with teacher candidates from another program, and I am learning lots. I am stretched and challenged in ways I did not expect, and I am often driven into reflection to examine my practice, values, and ways of being. I am always appreciative of professional learning. It’s part of my research interests, but also I love the opportunity to learn to grow and develop to become a better educator, mentor, and facilitator. Learning requires a lot of humility and vulnerability. It’s not easy sometimes, but the learning makes me better at what I do… at least, I hope so.

In doing this work, I also have the opportunity to bump into former students from the program I primarily teach in, who are teaching or leading in the schools. I love saying hello to these folks, but also the opportunity to work with seasoned educators of whom I did not work with as a teacher educator. I feel so hopeful and heartened for these folks and the future of K-12 education. Moreover, I get to bump into a few teacher candidates from my program I have recently who are in practicum. I feel grateful, excited, and proud of these practicing teachers and teacher candidates. I love having short conversations with them about how they are doing and where they are going. I feel hopeful about the future of K-12.

What a wonderful place to be… It’s taken me more than 15-years to get here. I left teaching in K-12 schools in 2010. I was a former high school math teacher. My career in education took a rebrand: from high school math teacher to school trustee/educational consultant to sessional instructor to teacher educator. When I left teaching and pursued doctoral studies in educational leadership, I had no idea where I was going. Leaving public schools was almost a 10-year grieving process, and I did not expect to enter higher education and become a teacher educator. THIS… is my Pedagogical Journey. I did not know what to expect, but doors open, and some close. You just have to walk through them to find out.

I left teaching math when my career K-12 was at its peak. I loved teaching math. Learning was so visible. Math was so emotional and relational. Sadly, it was also a gate keeper for most students and their potential futures, which was one inspiration for my dissertation. My math classes were amazing and I loved what we were doing as a learning community. We were learning math… and having fun. I can see many aspects of my teaching now being very similar to how I taught math. It’s Parker Palmer’s, “you teach who you are.” I am so happy to be back teaching. It’s hard to describe the joy I had teaching mathematics. I have joy in teaching in teacher education, graduate studies, and undergraduate too.

I have moments thinking about returning to the classroom and teaching high school mathematics. I have lots of good memories, despite the challenges. And yet, when I bump into former students and they are becoming the seasoned teachers and school leaders, I am filled with confidence, happiness, and joy. I want these people to be in the classroom and schools. They are doing amazing. I had a little part in that, just like with my former math students and where they are today. It’s incredible to think that I was a part of their learning journey, as much as they were a part of My Pedagogical Journey. So, I think about my next steps in this journey. What brings me joy? What brings me happiness?

My kid is graduating this month from her nursing program. I took a pause from this critical examination because I wanted her to have some security, with a place to live, a program to attend, and a space where to grow and develop. I wanted that for myself too. I think I have achieved that. In the meantime, I spent time learning about “what is research” and exploring different ways to engage, learn, and collaborate with other scholars in education and beyond. I have found a lot of joy in meeting and working with new people, yet, I am in a position that is not tenure track, and more teaching oriented, with little security as term faculty. Even thinking about the journey to where I am today, I have learned a lot about myself, academia, and where I want to be next. The goal is to listen to myself.

How am I feeling? Listen. I think, deep down inside, I know my next step. 🙂