A Letter to Myself

Dear Tanya,

Well, look at you. You (almost) finished the project-the third attempt. That alone deserves a moment of celebration and maybe a cup of coffee or two.

This year you asked a real question about your classroom and actually followed it all the way through (for once). You gathered data. You watched your students carefully. You tried something new. That is the real work of teaching and learning. It is also the work of leadership even if it does not always feel that way in the moment.

One of the biggest things you were reminded of this year is something you have believed for a long time. Students need time to actually understand ideas. When your students could see the math with Montessori materials the light bulbs started going on. Place value stopped being a mysterious set of numbers on paper and started making sense. Even gifted students needed that. Apparently being smart does not mean you magically understand long division.

This year also pushed you personally. You started in a new school. You introduced Montessori materials to students who had never seen them before. At times you probably wondered what you had gotten yourself into. That is normal. Trying something new in a classroom always feels a little risky. But you trusted your instincts and kept going.

As you move forward remember that leadership does not mean having all the answers. It often means noticing problems, asking good questions, and sharing what you learn with others. You already know how to do that. You have been doing it all year. Well, your whole life, really.

You will probably still have moments where you wonder if you are doing enough or if anyone is even paying attention to your ideas. When that happens remember two things. First trust what you saw in your classroom. Your students showed you that meaningful learning was happening. Second, remember that good teaching is often a quiet kind of leadership. It happens one lesson one student and one small breakthrough at a time.

Also remember to laugh once in a while. Teaching math to fifth graders is serious business but it is also full of strange moments. If a student suddenly announces that math finally makes sense that is a pretty good day.

You did good work this year. I mean you started three projects and almost finished one. Be proud of that. Keep asking questions, keep trusting your experience, and keep building classrooms where understanding comes first.

Now go celebrate (almost) finishing this project. You earned it.

Sincerely

Tanya