I Choose to SELlebrate

I Choose to SELebrate

-by Deborah Martel Rogers,
Harris' TOSA
Bakersfield City School District

    How often have you wondered what would have happened if you had taken a different path? When we were children, we all had friends who regretted not having shared their dream of becoming a teacher, pilot, astronaut, surgeon, or professional dancer with their teachers. They thought they were not good enough or that they would not be able to pull it off. Whichever the reason, they already had the No! Before they even dared to ask.
     On the other hand, we also knew those lucky people who dared to follow their dreams and accomplish unimaginable goals that the rest of us might have thought about here and there without really having stopped to ponder the real work it would take. Probably because, precisely, it would have taken a lot of effort.
     What about if we reveal these secrets to our students and their parents? Are they secrets, or are we talking about procedures, skills, methods, and goals magisterially intertwined in a very generous way, impulsing them towards professional success and personal happiness? After all, that is the ultimate goal of our profession: To open windows and doors, to build bridges of understanding, and to empower our excellent student population and their parents to, ultimately, create a much better, greater, and wonderful world.
     Of course, there will be the dream crashers, the ones who are here but wish they were there, and those who laugh at the slightest resemblance of mastery, greatness, kindness, and humanity. That is not my job, they would say. Maybe they are right: This is an exceptional and unique job. We only want the best. Our students deserve our best, and our only option is SUCCESS.
     I am very fortunate to be a member of a fabulous community of educators who embrace this shared vision of academic excellence and social/emotional wellness. We believe in the impossible, which is why we are making it possible.
     As a parent,  educator, emerging educational leader, and woman,  I am very proud of our accomplishments. There is still more work to do, but we should not forget to SELebrate  our students' success stories, regardless of how small they might seem. Just ask the young lady who played in the basketball finals without her family's support or the young man who fed his younger siblings and ensured they were at school on time before he got late and unprepared for his classroom. Overcoming adversity and persevering in the face of challenges is another reason to celebrate. Somehow, they were inspired by an adult in their lives, usually a parent, a teacher, an administrator, or all of them.
      I choose to SELebrate and cordially invite you to do the same. Do not cry because it is over: Rejoice because it happened. After all, the best is yet to come.