New Year Greetings from 2006-2007 NC Teacher of the Year
New Year Greetings from 2006-07 NC Teacher of the Year - Diana Beasley
It's a new year, time to dust the cobwebs off the old resolutions, reflect, revisit,
and revamp them before we decide to make the same tired ones this year. I
have not done this yet. I have been procrastinating because that type of
soul searching and introspection requires quiet and time - two commodities
not often afforded us in modern life. I can't pass a computer without
checking email. I will drive back home if I forget my cell phone. I am
afraid to buy a "crackberry" for fear of chaining myself to yet another
gadget. Since my car is my office this year, I am most often lost in a
paper-filled nightmare of a white state Ford Taurus somewhere on I-40.
This morning I drove to NCCAT, the North Carolina Center for the
Advancement of Teaching, in Cullowhee and the fog lifted - literally and
figuratively. In this gorgeous retreat atmosphere, I am given the time and
space to learn interesting content, practice new skills, meet amazing
teachers, revel in the luxury of someone else doing the cooking and
cleaning, and to just BE. I will have the opportunity to renew my zest for
teaching, rediscover the reasons why we have the best job in the world, and
recharge my batteries to kick up the energy to a new level. I know I will
leave here Friday with a pep in my step, new additions to my "bag of
tricks," a group of new friends, and a desire to spread the word that our
state celebrates teaching by providing a place like NCCAT for its teachers.
I call it Nirvana! We are all taught to practice the 3 R's of Rigor,
Relevance, and Relationships in our classrooms. I encourage you to practice
NCCAT's 3 R's of Renew, Rediscover, and Recharge in your soul. Taking better
care of ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually will help us
become the people we know we can be.
My New Year's prayer for you is for peace, tranquility, and serenity of self. Enjoy!
Diana Beasley, 2006-07 NC Teacher of the Year
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