I am channeling joy and gratitude this week as I begin the first of many “final firsts” in this, my final year of what has been a very rich and rewarding (and at times challenging and humbling) teaching career. I am leaning into the beauty of my work with young folks of all backgrounds and levels, students who have taught me at least as much as I have imparted to them. I find myself constantly reflecting on the days when I first began. How quickly I recognized the depth of the solemnity, the sacredness of the path of an educator. How easy it might be to inadvertently do harm, how deep the trust that must be built, how much a student might need me to help them mend a wound, help them build themselves.
I find myself looking back at that fledgling professor (the shock the first time someone called me on my office phone–a landline!–and addressed me as “Professor Barber”!) and how much I had to learn. I am so grateful currently for every experience. I had my first student meetings this morning, and I felt so full of joy to see these students, knowing I would be guiding them through one more year together and wanting most of all to make it as great as it could be. Wanting earnestly to know how they were, what they learned over the summer, hear about their discoveries and hopes, excited to walk this next leg of the journey with them.
There are always challenges in education, and difficulties inherent in dealing with other human beings. We are messy, unpredictable creatures. But oh, the joy of it all when we just cast our fears aside and welcome the path that comes up to meet us! I leaned into each encounter today with the enthusiasm of a beginner, knowing that it would be the last time I would do this in quite this way ever again. I am so lucky. I know there will be bumps along the road this year (and always), but I intend to lean fully into the sheer enjoyment of the work and the people I get to do it with.