“Teaching is about making some kind of dent in the world so that the world is different than it was before you practiced your craft." Brookfield
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Biggest accomplishment no one knows about...
Day 9 of our Reflective Teacher Blog Challenge! I've been inspired and challenged by all the blog posts I've read to date - that's just what Beth and I wanted out of this challenge. Creating a vibrant online community for +TeachThought is also my goal and role. It feels like we're finally getting there!
I thought a very long time about this post. There have been many things I've achieved in teaching that no one really knows about. I could write about those or I could write about something that is happening at the moment and is probably my biggest challenge - and battle - to date. It's also very personal and I've kept much of it to myself. If I can achieve this then it could well be my biggest accomplishment yet.
Teaching and learning mean everything to me. I hope that if I'm known or recognised for anything at all then it is for the way I've given everything I can for my students so that they can find their way, their passions and follow their dreams. I hope that my passion for what I do is clear and evident in everything I do and say.
That's why the current challenge is so hard.
Last year I was diagnosed with a major brain tumour and the expected outcome following surgery was not altogether positive. One day I was in the classroom - August 14 to be precise - and the next day I was in the Neuro ward at Auckland Hospital being told that I hadn't imagined the weird symptoms I'd experienced for 10 years, that I had a Vestibular Schwannoma - cool name aye. It was a benign tumour but was starting to press on the brain stem and had made me almost completely deaf. To add insult to injury, it was evident on a scan from 2011 but had been 'missed'. To cut a long story short "Arthur" needed to come out but there was quite a large risk in the 8 hours of surgery and I would also be completely deaf, may have severe balance issues and one side of my face could most likely be paralysed. Oh great - that's all??!!
Surgery was on September 20, 2013. While I was now completely deaf, I stunned them all and had absolutely no other side effects apart from some balance issues and went home after only 3 days - instead of the expected 7. I'm stubborn and determined. From here the battle began.
I thought I could return to school within a few weeks but was very knocked about by the surgery and really struggled to adjust to being deaf in one ear - you'd think it would be simple. Not quite like that I found. I couldn't give my school a definite return date so I did the right thing and resigned. I was so angry and frustrated that I couldn't just return. This is a very hard thing to explain to people. They really don't understand and I can fully understand why. My brain is absolutely fine - in fact my almost photographic memory has returned, (very helpful!!). I look and sound fine but...
It's now a year down the track. I am fighting to return to what I am so passionate about and looking for a suitable position either in leadership or consultancy and I know I will get there. In the meantime I have the TeachThought online community to develop and I continue to meet some fantastic people online and in person.
When I do, it will be my biggest accomplishment in teaching. Just to return to what I love.
#reflectiveteacher
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