29 and Counting...

I counted yearbooks this morning.  There are 29 on my shelf representing 28 years in education (two yearbooks are from the same year because I was at two schools).  I've been thinking about the number 29 since I made that count.  Some people stop counting birthdays at 29.  29 is only one away from 30 and that sounds like a long career in one field.   As I think about the beginning of another new school year, I think back to that first year of teaching.  Anticipation, excitement, nervousness and big ideals were all a part of the equation.  A belief that every student was special and that I could reach everyone that entered my classroom doors.  I was young (22) and enthusiastic and those teachers that had been teaching for 20+ years seemed so old to my eyes.  I see new teachers looking at me with those same eyes now.  My students were more my peer group in those days than my colleagues.
Looking at the yearbooks, even the spines tell a story 11 from Live Oak, 6 from Mt. Pleasant, 3 from Evergreen Valley, 2 from Aragon, 1 from Hillsdale and 6 from Milpitas.  Each school has played a different role in my journey as an educator.  Those first 11 represent the young, enthusiastic educator who spent a lot of time with students outside the classroom.  Class advisor, cheerleading advisor, and activities director were formal roles but I voluntarily went to sporting events, proms, plays, dance recitals.  I was present in those students lives and they were a big part of shaping me.  The next 6 represent the professional educator.  I became a department lead, a part of a teaching team, a mentor and focused on leadership within the school community.  While the job was still about the students, it also became about the pedagogy of teaching and working with my peers to deliver content effectively.  The next 6 represent the library journey.  I moved out of the day to day classroom instruction and took on a different role, but then was thrust back into the classroom twice because of budget issues.  The final 6 are where I am now working as a teacher librarian helping students navigate the information overload that is today's world.  The shelf is full as you can see and the last 6 are piled on top.  There's still room for a few more, but is the end approaching?  These last 6 represent a different phase of my career, the veteran.  I've seen 28 first days of school.  I've seen the wide-eyed 9th grader enter unsure of their place in high school.  I've seen the senior graduate with a promise to visit often, move on into their life.
As I think about tomorrow, I think about the journey and how far I've come from this first year teacher.  It's still about the students and while I know I won't reach everyone, I hope that I can reach and touch a few and make a difference in their lives and their futures as they enter the library and I try to teach them something that will carry with them on their journey into adulthood.