Progress

How to start a new blog?

Some kind of purpose, I suppose.

My first attempt seemed like a failure. It took very few posts for me to realize that I was setting up a dumping ground for all my fears and worries and doubts. Not that those things don't have a place, or that they won't show up here. I can learn from them, I am learning from them. They, for better or for worse, are a part of this experience.

But I'm hoping and am confident that they aren't the only part. Also I know that, because I'm quite excited, to be honest.

But that's beside the point. I need a point. I've been throwing ideas around in my head, but everything seems so cliche and/or really hard to keep up with over a long period of time and/or too narrow. I need the freedom to write about whatever it is that makes my experience meaningful but guidelines to push me past just recording whatever events pop into my mind. Except that's what'll happen anyway.

Which leads me to the purpose of leaving in the first place.

It's not (contrary to popular opinion) because I don't have strings tying me down here. Now, I know I'm guilty of using this phrase, so it's fair of them to assume. But I do have ties. My family is here. A lot of my friends are here. I have a life that is familiar and that I enjoy. There are strings that will be cut.

It's not the desire to travel. Yes, that's a perk. I won't lie, I'm looking forward to the experience. It would be ridiculous to go if I wasn't. But to live abroad? That was never really the plan.

I'm going because I want to grow, to develop, to learn with my students. I want to gain experience and insight into teaching middle school. I want to can experience and insight, period. I want to work with other teachers who are growing with me and who I can share this experience with.

I want to, need to grow, but I don't want to do it alone. And that desire led me to this school.

So this space is for growing and recording growth. It's for sharing in that, whether it be positive or negative. Will there be lots of nerdy teacher stories? Probably yes. Will I gush about my students? I certainly hope so. Will there be periods of stretching that will hurt? Yeah.

So those are my expectations, my objectives, if you will. Consider yourselves warned.