2010-2011 AT&T NC Teacher of the Year Team

From Left to Right: Vann Lassiter (Northeast Region) • RenĂ© Herrick (North Central Region) • Courtney Davis (Piedmont-Triad/Central Region) • Amber Alford Watkins (Sandhills/South Central Region) • Joy Jenkins (Northwest Region) • Dorothy Case (West Region) • Jennifer Facciolini (Southeast Region) • David Dahari (Southwest Region) • Stuart Miles (Charter Schools) For more information on any team member or on the AT&T North Carolina Teacher of the Year Program, please click the photograph below.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The View from the W Hotel and My Farewell

On our last TOY trip we spent a couple of nights in Times Square at the very gorgeous W Hotel. It was my first trip the New York and I could hardly sleep! I sat up for hours sitting by the window and starring out at glitz and glamour, listening to the sounds of the city, watching the diversity that existed in one small part of a very large city. I just sat and pondered. Here it was the final official NTOY trip. The last time I might ever see some of these folks. What was next for me? Yes, I have a new job. Yes, I love the fact that I may actually get to unpack my suitcase for more than one or two nights. But as I sat in the still quiet of my hotel room watching the busy noise of the city, I could not help but wonder: Am I the same Jennifer? Am I the same teacher? Will I ever make up this crazy year to my two beautiful children? Has my career peaked and this the defining moment of who I am? I reflected on the many conversations I had throughout the past year. Some where people simply said..."You have changed." and other who laughingly say..."You are just Jenny from the block." I am for the first time in my whole life confused. I have always know what the next step was for me both personally and professionally. And now, here I sit in the city that never sleeps, wondering if I can even comprehend what is next in either of those areas. For the first time in my life.....I am unsure, uncertain and down right scared. On one of my final days in New York, I decided to leave the safety of the treadmill at the W Hotel gym and run in the city. As I ran, I laughed, cried, and pondered. No, I don't know what is next for me. However, the one thing I know I gained this year is the inner strength and courage to find out who I really am and what I really want to do with the teacher within me. On my final night in New York, Angie Miller knocked on my door at 3:00am in her pjs. With tear filled eyes, she walked into my room. We did not need to say a word. We instantly knew we were both hurting. We were both struggling. What were we each to take away from this year? We just sat quietly in our pjs and enjoyed the view from the W Hotel. Yes, I have changed. I have grown personally and professionally. Where this change will take me, I don't really know. My heart is in the classroom and with my own children. Will I go back to the classroom? I don't really know...but very likely so. As I type this, months after the New York trip, I still find myself sitting quietly and starring as life goes on around me. Although the unknown is a bit scary, I am ready to stop looking out the window and walk the unknown streets. "What's next?" is the question I continue to be asked most often. And I say again, for the first time in my life, I don't know! But I can tell you that the teacher inside of me is ready to discover it!

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