For me, it all began back on the fluffy floor rug of my 2nd grade classroom. My teacher, Mrs. Stern (an ironically relaxed educator), allowed us to draw each day while she read aloud exciting fictional tales of heroes, villains, creatures, and conflict. This was my favorite part of the school day, not only because my best friends shared their super cool metallic Gelly roll pens (although, this was a huge part of it), but also because Mrs. Stern gifted us with a full hour of free time to kick off our shoes (literally, no shoes!) and simply CREATE. No rules, no directions, just freedom. Even then, at the age of 8, I loved detail and design. I would not rest until every inch of my 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper was filled with glistening metallic swirls and shapes, lines and textures.
A year later, I began to delve into the new and exciting world of poetry. My passion for the art form originally began as nothing more than a fondness for rhyming, until my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Fassnacht, recognized a budding poet and offered to help me with my writing in the afternoons after school (a selfless act that I am still grateful for to this day). With her help, my poems took on new life and my love of written word blossomed.
Perhaps it was educators like these two wonderful women, who truly invested in the lives of countless young students, who inspired me to become a teacher myself. Fast forward about 17 years, and I am now a 5th grade teacher and absolutely love it!
I always encourage my students to take risks and be bold when creating. To get past the fear of rejection, and to make or draw or write something that they love and take pride in...because if they love what they're creating, chances are someone else will too! It's about time that I practice what I preach to my amazing 10-year-olds and put my own work out there. It's always a risk letting others into your creative space, but I think it's worth it because, as Robert Frost so eloquently put it, "Freedom lies in BEING BOLD."