There are things, people, situations that might get you down but this week and the coming weeks as a Teach For America 2011 corps member have taught me to continue to believe in my dream. This first week as a corps member is just the beginning and there are much harder times but there are still flashes of fear and uncertainty.
The thing that is important for me to remember is that every transition is exciting but it is exciting because it is completely new. I love the idea of something new but new means a level of discomfort that must be paired with patience.
Sometimes these experiences that test my level of comfort lead me to question my aspirations; but then I think of my students in Chicago, all the students I'll meet in Memphis and it becomes real again. It is more than what I feel comfortable with, it's about what NEEDS to happen. I can't stop believing that it is possible to close the achievement gap, especially when there are such huge statistics showing how effective teachers can be when they hold their students to high expectations.
Plus, now it is incredibly real because I actually have a school and an apartment. Memphis is now home, there is no turning back. I can't wait to meet my students at Raleigh Egypt Middle School and to work with my fellow TFA-ers to really affect change.
It may be the Kool-Aid, but I am really excited about the potential growth in Memphis. There are tons of work to be done but it needs to be done by someone, so why not by me? I cannot sit idly by knowing that I can make a huge difference in the world. Therefore, feeling uncomfortable, or even failing are necessary experiences in order to achieve this goal. I cannot let my fear and discomfort keep me from achieving this goal because that is temporary, but the change that possible can last a long time and beyond.
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