Ten years is a long time.
That’s why this past year I decided to move to another school. I had been teaching at the same school for 10 years and felt it was time to try somewhere new. I realize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side but I think change in our profession, especially when initiated personally, is great.
Change can be rewarding, challenging and exciting. For example, I’ll meet and work with new staff and students and learn a new school culture. I may be teaching in new areas outside of my expertise and comfort zone. I could be involved in new extracurricular activities, such as school clubs and sports teams.
As positive as all this sounds, however, there are always trade-offs and what ifs when moving to a new school. What if my commute time is 30 minutes longer? What if I don’t get along with staff and students? What if my new room is far away from the staffroom or, even worse, the staff washroom? What if the cafeteria doesn’t sell good food and what if I don’t get a good parking spot?
In the end, I believe the positives will far outweigh the negatives. I’m excited to embark on a new journey. It will have its ups and downs like any new job, but I’m confident it will be a change for the better. Whatever the future has in store, one thing is certain—it will certainly be a new adventure.
Eric Roston teaches at Simon Fraser School in Calgary.
