What’s your dream job?
Today? Today it’s woodworking. I would love to wake up every morning, pack a lunch for myself, and head over to my workshop. I’d love the freedom to be creative and to try things in a space that is full of all the tools I need. It’d be wonderful to answer only to my whim.
Here’s the rub: I felt the same way about teaching when I first started. I felt free to be creative, to try new things, to innovate through my programming. The curriculum was the raw material, my program the method, and the students the result. I’d stay up late planning lessons, trying to be fresh with my delivery of tired and dated content. In class, I want to be cool, liked by my students, and involved in extra-curriculars. My goal was to do whatever I could to make learning accessible and school inviting.
That passion has faded. My perspective on my teaching practice feels more practical now, more mature, and slightly jaded. I want to want to love teaching again. Sometimes, in small moments, there’s a glimmer from an ember under the ashes. The fire hasn’t been extinguished yet.
Woodworking is my escape, my time to play. Going to the workshop is often a cathartic experience. It’s a place that allows me to process my thoughts while thinking about ways to build, cut, and assemble pieces of wood. It’s where my daydreams can rest.
If I could get up every day and go to a place that felt liberating, I’d be living my dream.
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