I have always loved old movies--good ol' black and whites. As a young girl I would stay up late watching movies like It Happened One Night, The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby, Sabrina, and the list goes on. The stories intrigued me, and they were comforting.
One movie I've always enjoyed is Jimmy Stewart's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It is a wonderful example of passion, planning, and perseverance. As a young man, he was suddenly selected as a senator. Bright eyed-- he approached the Senate seat with excitement and an eager motivation to make a difference.
However, sadly his vision for a national boys camp was not well received by the long standing politicians who had other plans for the space Mr. Smith wanted to use. At first, Mr. Smith couldn't understand what was going on, but Ms. Saunders wised him up pretty fast. In the end, the young senator fought back and won.
I believe that many new teachers probably feel this way at times: naive and excited to make a difference, only to feel discouraged. I feel thankful that although a new teacher, I'm not exactly a young one. I knew when I started back to graduate school what I was up against, and that the elements in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington can be found in any profession.
When I started in my graduate program, I knew what a wonderful opportunity it was for me. I studied and worked hard. I pushed myself to my absolute limit, offering no apologies to my classmates. Yes, other students rolled their eyes at me, and actually said I was crazy, but I didn't care. I was living my dream--my dream to become a teacher. Now, as a teacher, I continue to do the same.
I always strive to put God and my family first, but I will say that teaching is a strong third for me. I love it, and I feel so fortunate that my dream profession has been realized.
Above all--I want to stay that naive dreamer; passionate, excited, and craving to improve my craft until my final days as an educator.
My hope is that other educators feel that way too--stay passionate, work hard, do your best, and never apologize.
Clips from Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Another song I loved growing up and still do--
You Gotta Have Heart by Peggy Lee
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