The Teacher of the Year Process Reflection

Well I have completed the last step in the process for NC state Teacher of the Year, and I now await the results from the committee that was compiled to make the decision. As I reflect on my experience, several things come to mind.

First, I was and I still am so humbled by the fact that my peers choose me for this role. It's one thing to be chosen by your school to represent them. We all know each other and respect and appreciate each person's contribution at all levels in our school. I was caught completely off guard when I was selected for the county. It was such a blessing and I didn't realize that there were people outside of the community of my school who were aware of what I did or who were taking notice. We have so many fantastic educators in Gaston County Schools that, when my name was called, I literally was in shock. I still have not fully wrapped my mind around it.

By the time I was getting used to being the Gaston County Schools Teacher of the Year, I learned about the next step in the process, the regional competition. I was feeling totally satisfied with where I was representing my county and did not think in my wildest dreams that I had a chance in the regional competition. I thought about all of the counties that were included and the size of some of those schools systems and I said to myself...well it was just an honor to make it this far. When I was notified by the regional staff that I was a finalist, I actually thought the call was the..."thank you for all you do, but...." call. I was again telling myself that it was an honor to make it this far, and this will probably be as far as I go. My school administration did a good job of making me think that my classroom observation went very poorly, and my central office staff were silent about any news about results. When the program came together to announce me as the regional teach of the year winner, my heart was beating so fast and my mind was spinning...of course the fact that I had been sick the last couple of days before and still was not well, may have had something to do with that. All of the cameras, news stations, and reporters...I had no idea this is what it would be like winning the regional competition. I never allowed myself to think that far ahead in the process, because I felt it so unlikely, but there we were.

Yesterday, I went to the Umstead Hotel in. Cary, NC, along with the other 8 regional winners, for the NC Teacher of the Year competition. It was a beautiful venue and it was a great experience to meet these wonderful educators from every area of the state. In talking with them, I found that NC has some innovative things going on in classrooms all over. There were teachers who taught from language arts to dance at traditional public schools and charter schools. They came with a wealth of life experience which included the military to off broadway musicals. I look forward to picking their brains about all things educational. If there is anything I have learned from my years in teaching, it's that collaboration usually yields better answers than isolation. After finishing the interview process, we all headed home.

I have noticed several opportunities that have come available because of being a regional teacher of the year. I have enjoyed being a part of several county committees that are helping to shape the future of education in Gaston County and I am impressed with every committee and team. Gaston County seems to be on the cutting edge of things like schools safety or performance pay. It really makes me proud to be an educator from GCS.

No matter what happens next, I know that everyday I have surrounding the best teachers and staff members in the state, here in Gaston County. We are Gaston County.

Presidential Inauguration and Martin Luther King Jr. Day Reflections

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." It is ironic that when these words were written in 1776, they did not apply to people like me. Yet, these words seem almost foreshadowing of the changes to come. TheDeclaration of Independencespoke of rights that were given by our Creator, but it would take many years and a war to start our country down the path of "All men are created equal..." and we are still trying to make this a reality here in 2013.

As an African-American, I feel fortunate to find myself in a place in history where I have a particularly unique view from which to reflect on the history of what today meant to us as a nation and our moving closer towards that concept, "All men are created equal".

As I reflect on the 2nd Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama, I can't help but think of one of the Bibles he sworn the oath of office on, the Lincoln Bible. Abraham Lincoln was president of our country at a time when our union was new and fragile. There was an issue that threatened to tear our nation apart, Slavery. With southern states threatening secession the President had to weigh the costs of freeing the slaves with preserving the Union. I believe Lincoln understood the damage we do to ourselves when we don't extend equality for us all. I can't help but wonder what President Lincoln would think of the nation's first black president. I can only imagine the feelings of something you know would take longer than your life span materialize.

Once slavery was abolished, something naturally had to take its place. TheBlack Codesin southern states. began almost as soon as the ink was dry on theEmancipation Proclamation...then here comesJim CrowtheGrandfather Clause,Segregationand other restrictions allmeant to keep a nation in a nation...separate and unequal.

Then enters a charismatic pastor who challenges the status quo. Dr. King often quoted the founding fathers as he spoke of racial equality. Peaceful resistance, which Dr. King espoused, was in stark contrast to the hatred and vehemence that was shown towards those seeking the rights promised in our founding documents, but not yet realized. How would Dr. King see the events of today? I would expect that he would feel that we have made great strides, but that we still have too many equalities in a nation with the capacity to solve these problems.

Now with these great leaders to reflect on, along with countless others, we stand at a place in history that is brand new. As the world looked on, we a nation of immigrants, but whose infrastructure was built with slave labor have chosen and African-American as president and we have given him a second term in office. There have been so many who have sacrificed so much to get us to this point. It is at times overwhelming to think of even my own family and the sacrifices made in order to help my current generation become successful. My grandfather had to leave school in the 5th grade to help his family. Later when he was married and wanted to build a house he quoted prices that a person of color could not afford at that time. He decided to build the home by hand. It took years, but he built a home for his family. My father was the first black chemist for Burlington Industries. I am only the second generation of my family to go to college. Today, I found myself in awe of what is possible when people want to change something. The country did not change on its own. Brave men and woman put their lives on the line so that we all, as Americans, can achieve and excel. As an African-American I appreciate the founding fathers of our great nation, but I have an even greater appreciation for those who made and are making our country live up to its ideal that we are all created equal, for they paid a cost that we today to often take for granted. I hope we always remember that we owe a great debt to these men and woman, and the only way to begin to pay it back is to contribute to creating a better society and as they did, leave this place better than we found it.