Challenges…or Opportunities?
My first year as a local president, my former superintendent tried (unsuccessfully) to get me to view challenges as ‘opportunities’. I can’t remember now what ‘challenges’ we were dealing with at the time but I’m sure some were increased workload, insufficient compensation, and additional demands on public educators to address big, societal issues. Many years later, all of these are still challenges, even greater today than then. On a personal level, the challenges at the time were those typical of many young parents: struggles with work/life balance, insufficient time (and patience!) with my own children, and perennial exhaustion due to lack of sleep. Most of you can probably relate to having some or all of these challenges, both the professional and the personal ones, at some time.
So this year…Let’s just say it has been chock full of ‘opportunities’ for educators! Never, not ever, have we all had the number of challenges, not to mention the kinds of challenges–er, I mean ‘opportunities’–that we have seen come at us this past year!
And the hits just keep on coming…global pandemic, disputes on safety measures like masking, staff shortages, remote days, disinformation campaigns on issues, criticism of curriculum, attacks—at times personal—on educators and school boards, calls to ban books—just to name a few. And of course there’s also inflation, climate change, and–the worst of all–the latest round of horrific gun violence and the tragedies of innocent lives taken and those of so many others impacted forever.
Somehow in the face of at least a few of these challenges, educators have indeed found some opportunities. More outdoor classes for our students, creative ways to use technology, examining lessons and materials with an eye towards increasing recognition of diversity and being more inclusive, ways to better provide for the social and the emotional needs of our students—and of ourselves. One specific example that comes to mind was the science teacher who took the debate over masks and designed a lesson and a lab for students to learn about airborne particles. I’m sure many of you, when you pause for a moment, can think of something that was a challenge that you managed to turn into an opportunity.
Educators are by nature hopeful. And with all of these challenges, if we are to hold on to hope, we must work to turn more challenges—even the big ones–into opportunities whenever we can.
And a big challenge is right around the corner—elections next fall. As a beautiful Maine summer gets underway I know the last thing any of us want to think about is next fall! But these next elections give us a great opportunity–to work together, to be united–to be sure we not only keep the friends of public education we’ve had in Augusta, but also to see to it that others understand the value of public education and will support educators and students.
You’ll hear more on this challenge/opportunity as the time draws nearer. For now, you have certainly earned a break! Let’s hope the greatest challenge you encounter for the next few months will be what to put on the grill or which beach to visit or what novel to read next. I know some will be working over the summer months, either in schools (thank you so much for that!) or at other jobs (another challenge we will keep working on so that it is a matter of choice rather than necessity). But even those of you who will be working will likely enjoy a change of pace and hopefully everyone has a chance to relax, recharge, and renew and refill your energy supply. We will need it, come fall, we know.
And we know that, together, we will do our darndest to be ready to face any challenge, to do all we can to turn it into an opportunity, and make our Association ever stronger and our public schools and institutions of higher learning even better.
Take care, stay safe, and stay well!
Grace Leavitt, President
Maine Education Association
