It's with mixed emotions that I write this as today is my last day teaching. I have been a teacher for 14 years (a fact I still can't wrap my head around - how can it possibly have been that long?!) and it's been a profession that I have truly loved.
When I first considered becoming a teacher, I spoke to a friend of mine who had been teaching for a couple of years to get the inside scoop. He told me it was an incredibly stressful and often thankless job, but he also told me that without fail, at least once a day, he'd find himself doubled-up, laughing hysterically. And that's when I decided it was the right job for me.
And he was right - teaching is hard. Over the years, I have worked at all different kinds of schools, and each one has been challenging, frustrating and perplexing in its own way. But, my goodness, I have laughed!
So as I said goodbye at the end of my 9th grade class today, it was fitting that I was both laughing and almost crying!
When I first had the idea for Chapperone back in 2018 I couldn't have known it would lead me to give up teaching. And while I am sad to no longer be in the classroom, I am also so proud to be building something that makes teachers’ lives easier and makes student trips safer. So I’m pleased I get to take my teaching experience and continue to make an impact on students’ learning.
And that learning is one of the most tangible, impactful and inspiring ways to learn - Experiential Learning. Throughout my 14 years teaching, I have been on almost 100 trips and I LOVED getting my students out into the real world to engage, enthuse and be inspired by what’s around them. So knowing I'm now building something that teachers love and that will improve Experiential Learning opportunities for students fills me with joy.
So while I’m nervous I’ll miss the laughter, the joy and the energy I get in the classroom, here’s to making an impact to even more students than my classroom can hold, via a pretty special app called Chapperone!
