As an educator, I am often reminded of C.S. Lewis's wise words: "The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts." This quote speaks to my passion for teaching and the immense responsibility I have in shaping young minds and hearts. I vividly remember my first day of teaching back in 2004, filled with insatiable joy as I was responsible for twenty-nine sixth graders. I still remember the wonder and curiosity in each student's eyes, pondering how I was going to help them embrace the love of learning. Twenty years have passed, and I am blessed to still be standing as a teacher at the same school. My goal as an educator is not to cut down and limit my students' potential, but to enrich their minds and irrigate the deserts within them. The immensity of my students’ intellectual and prolific landscapes of their potential, and their presence of curiosity and hunger for learning are what fuels me with the passion for teaching. I want to guide my students to embrace language arts and explore the cosmos of possibilities through the lens of characters, writers, and the literacy realm.
As a lifelong learner, I am grateful to have walked the years of life journey with the HBR families. I have truly grown and continue to reach for the stars thanks to my mentors, Mrs. Biletzky and Mrs. Edwards. Without their expertise and mentorship, I would not have progressed into the teacher I am today. Walking into my school every morning fuels me with carpe diem, for teaching my students to flourish and reach their fullest potential is the greatest joy in my professional life.
I am also part of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). As an agent of change, no matter how we step up to create change in education, it’s best to seek out others who will join your journey walking right by and cheering you on. I had the great honor of being the Kent D. Williamson Policy Fellow at NCTE for two years (2018-2020) providing me with rewarding opportunities to converse about implementing policy-based instructional decisions as a classroom teacher. While enjoying the daily teaching interaction with my students, I have witnessed how the macro level of policy decisions can impact my students’ learning as well as ELA curriculum choices. I wanted to be part of the teachers’ voices, so staying connected to a national organization like NCTE gave me firsthand access to the latest thinking in our field, and the backing of a community of expertise that is bigger than our own.
Currently, I have the honor of being the chair of the NCTE’s Standing Committee on Global Citizenship (2022-2025). My committee is composed of researchers, professors, classroom practitioners, and educational consultants. As Chimamanda Adichie’s message about how literacy education is hope for our humanity, our committee seeks to elevate the power of global citizenship in English education. Through publications, presentations, author events, and policy briefs, our committee seeks to elevate discussions around “the learning needs of students in schools and colleges who come from global contexts and instructional strategies for teachers of these students; also to raise awareness of literacy education in global contexts in order to provide a mutual exchange of pedagogical ideas and issues” (NCTE).
Through my professional commitments to Hinckley-Big Rock Middle School and NCTE, I have learned that as an educator and a global citizen, a lifelong love for learning comes about through experience and loving humanity. Without compassion for humanity, life is barren. It is my role as a classroom teacher to help each one of my students believe and dream, to empower them to make a difference. For this, I am deeply grateful to learn alongside my colleagues and students every day at HBR.
Written By: Grace Lee, Teacher at HBR Middle School