When Hurricane Harvey swept Houston’s Bay Area, I didn’t lose everything, but the storm unsettled me. Returning to class two weeks later, I faced students carrying grief far heavier than mine. Had I suffered a major loss like so many others, maybe the words would come easier. Monday couldn’t just be about economics—it had to be about steady ground and hope.
Tomorrow begins my 24th year of teaching, yet I still remember the first hour of my first day—hands shaking, voice thin, wondering what I was doing there. Since then, the classroom has been both a crucible and a gift: seasons of exhaustion, unexpected laughter, heartbreak, and joy. I’ve taught lessons in economics and literature, but life always had lessons waiting for me too. Students grow, but so do teachers—shaped by storms, successes, and the steady rhythm of showing up. This journey has never been perfect, but it has always been worth it.
Like almost every senior, teachers are looking forward to the last day of school with great anticipation. Yes, it is graduation day for the senior class, but for most teachers, it is also their last full work day of the year. I know what you’re thinking. You imagine teachers running to their cars shouting a Homer Simpson-like “Woo-Hoo” and heading off on long vacations to forget about school, and honestly, there is more than a kernel of truth in that. The end of school is a relief for teachers, and vacations are nice when possible, but for me, the end … Read more