Dear me in elementary school,

You might be hating school right now but don't worry; It gets better.

When you learn to take control of your learning you will discover what excites you. This may start in high school and then get even better in university. Your passion might even lead you back to elementary school as a teacher yourself.

You will struggle and you may begin to wonder if you should leave the system because you fear it will never change? Should you unschool your own children? Is school squashing creativity? You will learn about schools and countries who seem to have it all figured out. The system and some of the people may thwart you but you must remember the purpose of public education and the reason you changed careers to go into teaching.

These feelings are captured in this stanza from a poem you will write when you are a teacher.

Look at me. Understand me. I am NOT my test scores.
Allow me to be VULNERABLE and feel safe
So that I can create and innovate.
I NEED to be free to ME.

You will meet some wonderful people in every decade of your life. Stay close to them. Remember, it's not about what other people think of you. What you think of yourself is what counts. Have faith. Work to create an environment where your students and your children feel safe. A place where meanness is not allowed and students understand why. A place where students truly support each other and everyone fits in. You will do this so they may not have to struggle with feeling comfortable and good enough like you did.

It gets better. And the best part of all is that you will be a part of the solution.

Love,

Erin