December 8, 2025 – A Moment to Reflect

The teaching has ended for the Fall 2025 term. I have no idea where the term has gone. Although students might feel like it’s the “end of the term,” I feel like I’m just getting started. Unfortunately, none of our courses exceed 3-credits and I am sure the students are ready for the winter break. I also gave students a week after class ends to hand in final assignments. As much as I would love to finish a course on the last day of classes, I can never seem to have enough time to fit everything in. Moreover, I like to assess and evaluate students individually.

I have been at the university for 7 years. I just went to an event today and mentioned that I was “term” faculty. I got a table of surprise and stares, and one person asked me if I was OK with being Assistant Professor. Of course, I am. Life gives you many lessons and opportunities to learn. I am learning and growing. Learning requires humility and courage and I feel very grateful to have the job that I do and work with the people that I do. Despite the term contract, I am feeling very aligned to who I am, where I am and the work that I am doing.

Given that I have been here for 7 years, I’ve made good connections and friends such that I am moving forward in a good way. One of those ways is working with students. I love working and collaborating with teacher candidates and graduate students. I teach undergraduate students next term. What I am most grateful for is maintaining connections with recent graduates. In one opportunity, I had one recent graduate come to my class as a guest speaker for the teacher candidates and graduate students. Always amazing and I am very aligned to this person and their practice. Super amazing. And, I’ve reconnected with another recent graduate. A text message led to dinner out to a second dinner out and plans.

In a short timeline, we connected and collaborated to create a time for the district student advisory council to come to my class to talk about “what’s your why” and share some stories about their experiences as students and what they hope for from future teachers. They concluded my course this fall and the message shared was very clear. I was so pleased to hear that this student leadership crew planned and facilitated this event. The ideas that me and the lead teacher had were only ideas. The high school students ran with it and the morning was AMAZING. We started with introductions to an opening circle with a football (don’t ask) to small groups, a mini-TED talk, and a closing circle.

The stories members of the district student advisory council was incredible (even though I did not listen to the small group discussions as seen in the photo). I wanted to keep those discussions between the students and the teacher candidates to have candid conversations about teaching and learning. What I heard back from the teacher candidates was GRATITUDE and hope. What I also heard from the students was gratitude and hope. A teacher candidate asked me after class if I enjoyed the session. I could not give a full answer at the time because I was organizing the day and focused on timing.

Now, as I reflect on the day, I am also brought to gratitude and hope. I also think that creating space for student voice and being co-constructors of knowledge is something that I’ve always wanted and hope that I am facilitating in some way in my classes but also in these collaborative opportunities with students and recent graduates. I believe teaching and learning is social. Sense-making is not done in isolation. And, everyone has a voice and choice in their learning experiences. I am so thankful for the high school students, teacher, and school administrator for making the time to come to campus, share their voice, and create a memory. I believe the message will linger and you have made a difference. THANK YOU.