Colleen Patrice Clark
Managing Editor
cclark@reading.org
WE’RE IN THIS
TOGETHER
eaching is a lot like running a marathon. In the
beginning of the race, you have the necessary
training behind you and you feel confident.
But then a few miles (translation: months
or years) in, you might be hit with doubt: Why
did I think I could do this?
You continue forward. Some will finish
strong, and make it look deceptively easy, but
you might find yourself hitting it—the dreaded
wall. You’ve heard of it, but you didn’t believe
this invisible barrier was a real thing. Yet here
you are at this make-or-break moment.
Does that sound like a position any teacher
should be in? (Or anyone, for that matter?)
Of course not! Yet many teachers
still leave the profession after just a few
years because they feel burned out and
unsupported, like they’re pounding the
pavement and somehow not getting anywhere.
However, there is support out there.
It’s there all along; it’s just easy to miss.
You might feel isolated in your classroom, but
just like in a marathon, there are cheering
sections (fellow teachers, loved ones,
community members), refueling stations
(PD workshops, conferences, Twitter chats),
and even pace groups to run alongside
(mentors, a PLN, or a teacher leadership team).
At ILA, we want to ensure even the most
isolated hear us and feel the support, and that’s
a large drive behind this Leadership Issue. We
need to recognize the leadership abilities among
all educators to give them the credit they deserve
so they never reach that burnout. They must
feel validated in their everyday decisions and
confident in the knowledge they possess and the
impact they can have when they share it with
their peers.
Just like in a marathon, it’s important to
remember that we’re all in this together. We
can keep our eyes on the prize and support
each other along the way.
Warmly,
EDITOR’S
NOTE
2
November/December 2015 | LITERACY TODAY