- Tell us about yourself: Adam Membrey. I earned a Bachelor of Education in Special Education in 2009.
- What are you doing now?: I just finished my 5th year teaching Deaf students with special needs in the Special Needs Department at the Texas School for the Deaf. I have taught Elementary School, Middle School, and will be lead teaching High School-aged kids next year. We really are unlike any other program in the country in the way we serve our kids with the needs they have.
- Why did you choose a program in the School of Education at Gonzaga? As a freshmen at Gonzaga, I took a “Children with Exceptionalities” class with Dr. Barretto. The class covered interesting material, but what stuck to me the most was the atmosphere in the Special Education department. It had a different, slightly funky, but ultimately inviting feel to it. When I found myself in a moment of crisis at the end of my sophomore year and needed to move on from my English Major (Sorry English Department! You guys were great!), I knew I would be entering the right program with Special Education. Everything that happened beyond that only reinforced how great a decision it was.
- What influenced you the most during your time at Gonzaga? Randy Williams taught me that I could have fun while being a highly-productive, effective teacher. Tim McLaughlin taught me to back up my files multiple times, but to never lose sight of the relationships I build with my students. Kimberly Weber opened my mind, taught me to relax, and gave me life lessons when I needed them. Anjali Barretto taught me to get on my knees and be at the students’ eye-level (and not just because I was tall and she was, um, not-as-tall). I now realize that everything I learned from my Special Education professors had very little to do with instruction itself – that would be the easy part – but with how to survive in Special Ed and what to not lose sight of. I needed to learn how important the intangibles were, and they each gave me masterful examples of that in their own way.One particular memory that sticks out to me is a time I came into Dr. Barretto’s office. I was actually there to whine about something that had nothing to do with class or teaching, and she simply smiled and asked me, repeatedly, “So what’s the problem?” It didn’t matter what I gave her back, she asked the same thing. I shortly after realized that the answer didn’t matter. She simply wanted me to think about it for myself, take stock of the situation, realize it wasn’t a big deal, and to problem-solve from there.It was a great lesson that I learned in my time at GU.
- What was your greatest lesson learned at Gonzaga? My junior year at Gonzaga, I took a fantastic class with Dr. Joe Albert, “Leadership and Storytelling.” Throughout the semester, we each had to tell a story about ourselves – something personal, something about our family, and then something about a greater thing we were a part of, be it a group, a department, or a company. The whole class made me realize not only how important stories are, but how we use them to help us explain the many things we see – both fair and unfair – in our daily lives. Dr. Albert also taught me how I could take any situation, no matter how dire or depressing, and reframe the story into something meaningful and propulsive. I can’t tell you how many times I have been in the Special Ed field and a teacher has practically withered as they told me about a student’s heartbreaking situation; I would do my best to help reframe the story so that we had something to build on. I use this storytelling muscle and awareness every single day – with myself, my friends, my family, the world that surrounds me. In my time since graduating Gonzaga, I have been confronted by, and a part of, so many difficult situations, and all of them were made survivable by using storytelling. It truly is one of the greatest tools anyone can learn to use.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in your field? Most challenging? The most rewarding aspect is when I look at mu students and realize I have created a special place for them where they not only feel comfortable, but welcome. Where they can be who they are, can communicate the way they want, and they can be silly without fearing judgment. So often the kids we work with in Special Ed are constantly looked down upon by people of all ages and stages in life; they can only thrive from a place of comfort, and that’s what we can provide them.The most challenging aspect of our field is not the paperwork (though it sucks) or the parents (they can be our best ally), but the attitudes of the adults around the students. So often I’ve had to get adults to understand just how much the student is capable of; but also to understand their limits and to work with them. What is most heartbreaking of all is when I’m in an IEP meeting in which lawyers and advocates are involved and I see a whole table full of adults arguing for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with a student and everything to do with their own ego preservation. They are not there for what’s best for the child; they’re trying to one-up everyone else. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen as often as it could, but it still happens far too often.
- What critical issues do you see that need to be addressed in your field? In Special Education, there needs to be an adjustment of expectations. There are still way too many programs that expect so little of their students and allow them to become too comfortable at their baselines when they are capable of doing much, much more.In Deaf Education, the situation is so much more complex. There are so many factors that affect progress – both in increasing it and shooting it down – but the primary one, to me, is the politics of it. The fact is that 90% of deaf students have hearing parents, and we are still struggling as a whole to figure out how to serve those students and parents best so that the child has an opportunity to lead the best life they can. I love ASL and teaching with it, but I also recognize it is not the best language for every deaf child and certainly every set of parents. We have to roll up our sleeves and be flexible in how best to give a child a language, and to help the parents support that the best way they can. There is so much exciting progress in the field of Deaf Education, but there is still so far to go.
- What advice do you have for future education professionals? Learn not to take it personally and keep yourself in the moment. Starting out as a teacher, the hardest thing is to not feel responsible for a program or a student not doing well as you think they should. It’s even harder when that student directs their anger or frustration or whatever it may be at you – you are simply a target, but it feels personal. And that can be agonizing. So my suggestion to future education professionals is to remove your ego and yourself from the situation as much as possible. Know you will often unfairly be a target or used as a scapegoat for others’ issues, but never, ever lose sight of the fact that you can dictate the atmosphere in your classroom and you have control over the relationships you develop with your students. You can make your job as wonderful and as difficult as you want it to be, and it starts with calming the storm within you so that the seas are smoother for everyone around you.Also: never, ever be afraid to ask for help or say you don’t know. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Pay attention to what you don’t do and do everything you can to fill that gap on your own. You will feel stupid sometimes, and that’s okay. That’s normal anytime you do something new and complex. But don’t ever stop asking for help or talking to people who know more than you do. And then, after that, it becomes that great Maya Angelou quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
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In the Department of Educational Leadership and Administration, the instructors travel to each cohort’s city to teach on site. In Williams Lake, British Columbia, the population is made up of 3 First Nations as well as the descendants of European settlers. Rhonda, and others in her cohort, helped the instructors learn and understand the dynamics of the area. From the first day of class, Rhonda advocated for and celebrated the many ways our cohort was diverse – professional role, gender, race, and age. She very graciously responded when others were less gracious and consistently showed the attitude of a learner. She was committed to learning from everyone and every situation. She was also able to raise the tough questions. Several of her instructors trusted her to facilitate discussion of these questions with the group. In these ways, she was exceptional.
But what really set Rhonda apart was her commitment to support everyone else. She was aware of every candidate’s needs in the group and wanted each person to succeed. Instructors were also on the receiving end of this support. In our program, each candidate completes a 5-chapter capstone which is analogous to a thesis. When I would call to check in on her progress in the capstone, she would ask how I was doing. So she showed care and commitment in supporting me!
Throughout her personal and professional life, she spends all of her time supporting individuals. But she also interacts with the larger system, seeking to improve them. In her Oral Exam, she told me, “I’m done waiting for someone else to do those things!” Congratulations to Rhonda!
-Dr. Elaine Radmer
- Tell us about yourself: Angela Busenius, Masters of Educational Leadership and Administration. I graduated in 2017.
- What are you doing now?: Clinical nurse educator for the hemodialysis units in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap area.
- Why did you choose a program in the School of Education at Gonzaga? My husband completed the same program just before me. He had an amazing experience with it and I found out they accepted students outside of the education stream. It seemed like a great fit.
- What influenced you the most during your time at Gonzaga? My fellow classmates as well as 2 of my instructors, Dan and Joan. All of these individuals have shown me unwavering support and love throughout the program.
- What was your greatest lesson learned at Gonzaga? The greatest lesson I have learned is courage. Courage to take chances. Courage to grow and put myself in uncomfortable situations. Courage to express my feelings and support others in their journey.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in your field? Most challenging? The most rewarding part of my job is my patients. I have the privilege to care for people every day and hear rich stories about their past. I have the opportunity to help people even when they are in the last moments of their life.The most challenging part of my career is the structure and politics of being in an overstretched public service environment. We want to do so much for our patients and are bound by limited resources and too much demand placed on the system.
- What critical issues do you see that need to be addressed in your field? Seniors need to be cared for and given the opportunity to live the last portion of their lives in comfort. Too often our seniors live in poverty, unable to obtain basic necessities such as proper food, medication and secure housing. They often live at risk as the resources aren’t available to keep them safe.
- What advice do you have for future education professionals? We do what we do because it is our calling in life. We are privileged to care for our citizens. Stay true to your heart and remember why you entered this amazing field.
From the Department:
Even though our programs are designed for educators in the K-12 system, we have a strong history of other professionals enrolling in our programs because of the focus on leadership and education. Those other professions include police officers, hospital administrators, communication directors, and nurses.
Angela Busenius enrolled in our Kamloops cohort as a renal nurse who specialized in diabetes management. Since enrolling in our program, Angela has been promoted from a renal nurse, to a renal nurse educator, to a clinical practice educator. In her new role, she leads, supports, and educates staff and patients. Dr. Jerri Shepard and I nominated Angela for this award because Angela has consistently demonstrated her commitment to leadership and education through service to others.
-Dr. Dan Mahoney
- Tell us about yourself: Megan Finnerty, BA in Sociology (2015) and a Masters in Initial Teaching (2016).
- What are you doing now?: Kindergarten teacher, moving on to First grade next year.
- Why did you choose a program in the School of Education at Gonzaga? I knew I would graduate with the credentials and confidence to become an effective teacher.
- What influenced you the most during your time at Gonzaga? As an undergrad entering into the elementary education certification, John Traynor assisted me in creating a 4 year plan. He helped me realize that I could graduate in 3 years and get back to teaching while receiving my Masters degree for my final year a GU. He aided in my success in becoming a highly qualified teacher. That being said, the faculty in the Gonzaga School of Education is top notch. I am forever grateful for the information and life lessons that I was taught while at GU.
- What was your greatest lesson learned at Gonzaga? The notion of assuming the best in a person. Whether it be a challenging student, a trying parent or even an uneasy coworker, the idea of seeing the best in that person helps in every situation. We all have our daily struggles or personal situations, knowing that I can assume the best and hope for positivity has made me an understanding educator and leader.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in your field? Most challenging?Most rewarding: ah-ha moments! Seeing my students reading with budding confidence or hearing them say “I get it!” when solving a new math equation.Most challenging: giving all students the attention they deserve. So often students that are challenging behaviorally or academically steal the spotlight. However, I think every student needs equal attention and one on one interaction.
- What advice do you have for future education professionals? This career is hard work but so incredibly rewarding. You are able to impact children’s lives which I think is the best gift you can give. Have fun and work hard, your students deserve it!
Each Spring, the SOE holds an annual ceremony to honor students with the Wardian Student Leadership Awards. This award is presented to students who demonstrate excellent scholastic achievements and a commitment to education through leadership, service, and integrity of character. This year, the Department of Sport & Physical Education selected Patrick O’Rourke, who studied Sport Management at Gonzaga, as its 2017 Wardian Award recipient.
Dr. Heidi Nordstrom, Assistant Professor of Sport & Physical Education, remarked, “I am lucky to have had Patrick in multiple classes and I have also served as his academic advisor. Patrick is the ideal student: he is a pleasure to have in class, always has a smile on his face, and is excited to learn and ask questions to expand his knowledge. He works great collaboratively with his fellow classmates and works hard to get the most out of his education.”
Patrick shows great initiative in taking advantage of opportunities to further his career in sports. He spent his 2017 spring break with Dr. Jimmy Smith and other students in Phoenix, AZ, where he met with professionals in baseball and professional hockey.
Dr. Smith had this to say: “It is wonderful to see a student like Patrick care so much about his academic career through constant engagement with his peers and professors, and invest in his future career by traveling on the Sport Management experiential opportunity to Phoenix. Any organization will be lucky to hire Patrick.”
Dr. Karen Rickel added, “Patrick is a leader in the classroom and in the community and will have a positive impact wherever he goes after graduation.”
During his time at Gonzaga, Patrick completed two internships: one with Spokane Hoopfest (as the Public Relations and Marketing intern) and one with the football program at Eastern Washington University. He is applying for various graduate programs and sports positions within major league sports.
- Tell us about yourself: Christina Gauley, M.Ed Leadership & Administration, class of 2017.
- What are you doing now?: I am currently a Fine Arts Specialist teaching at South Sahali Elementary in Kamloops, BC. I teach all students K-7. I am moving into a new role as District Fine Arts Coordinator, beginning in September 2017.
- Why did you choose a program in the School of Education at Gonzaga? I originally hesitated to choose a program that I thought was gearing me into Administration, since that was not my intended path. I chose to apply to Gonzaga because I had heard from other teachers in Kamloops, including Music Specialists, who found the program to be extremely beneficial regardless of how one intends to pursue leadership. I love that Gonzaga manages to create a cohort-based classroom for distance education; it is a marvelous way to provide the support and community needed for taking on this kind of degree.
- What influenced you the most during your time at Gonzaga? My thesis advisor, Dan, is one of the most outstanding teachers I have ever met. I was constantly amazed at his quiet ability to get us to do what seemed originally like an insurmountable task. I feel so grateful for his faith in me that I could find the inner strength to take on the challenges I’ve faced in the last few years, and in his support of all of us in our cohort. Also, the discussion and perspective I have gained from working so closely with 12 other educators, and from tackling difficult subjects honestly, without holding back, has allowed me unexpected growth. I feel so lucky to have gained the insight and expertise from the rest of my cohort.
- What was your greatest lesson learned at Gonzaga? In my undergrad studies, I was a very successful crammer. I procrastinated projects, essays, and studying for exams, and then locked myself in the library until I had produced something I deemed worthy of handing in. I was frightened at the start of this program, because I knew that I couldn’t do that. I work full-time, and I am a single mother of three young children – there could be no all-nighters. There was no way I could lock myself in the library; assignment deadlines would overlap with report cards, kids would get the flu, life would be difficult, and I would still have to make it work. In one of our first courses, one of our professors said something that I took as gospel and used unfailingly throughout the program: “Write one sentence every day.” So I did. Usually the one sentence turned into more, but on the toughest days, one sentence was all I could handle. But I didn’t miss a day, and I didn’t miss a deadline. My children still felt loved, and I managed to earn my masters degree by following that simple guideline. So my most valuable lesson is that it turns out you can actually climb a mountain one step at a time. You literally just have to keep walking, and it actually gets done. It is such a liberating truth to learn.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in your field? Most challenging? The most rewarding aspect is to see joy and pride on the faces of children who have succeeded in creating something that they didn’t think they could do. Teaching music and performing arts, I encounter a lot of kids who think that they just ‘aren’t musical,’ and I love taking that challenge on to find out what they actually love about music, and hook them into loving more. The most challenging thing is living and working in a culture that undervalues the arts. Many school boards and governments pay lip service to appreciating the arts but when it comes down to it, our North American culture sees the arts as a delightful extra, a piece of dessert but not a meal in itself. Arts advocates link musical study to improved literacy skills in an attempt to ‘legitimize’ studies in the arts, but in doing so we contribute to the problem: do you see reading teachers convincing parents of the importance of literacy so that it improves their piano skills? Of course not. I don’t mean to belittle the importance of reading, so much as point out that the study of the arts is important because music, drama, dance, and art are part of what it means to be human.
- What critical issues do you see that need to be addressed in your field? Part of what I am excited about in my new position next year as District Fine Arts Coordinator is to work with general classroom teachers in infusing their classrooms with music, drama, dance, and art. I am hopeful that as more general teachers incorporate arts studies into their classrooms, our culture can begin to see the way the arts influence everything that we do. I am also excited to work with specialist teachers in helping them become stronger advocates for arts education, and help them inspire colleagues to collaborate and weave arts into other areas, rather than quarantining them to the theatre, dance studio and music room.
- What advice do you have for future education professionals? Find what you love about your job; what you value the most. Do the soul-searching required to know the deep answer to that question, because once you know what you really care about, decisions become so much easier. Every choice can be boiled down to those core values, and once it’s all aligned, it’s so much easier to see the path ahead. It is totally hard work to figure it out, and it may get kind of messy. But it is completely worth it. Know what you love, and make it happen.
In my role as a faculty member, I teach foundational courses in our program. I teach nearly all of the candidates that come through our program but I catch them early in their time with us, so I get to see the raw potential in many candidates. It is always exciting when the nominations for this award come around because I get to hear about the accomplishments they have achieved since they left my classroom. For some, a great deal of potential is realized in the years after I have had them in class.
Such is the case with this year’s recipient, Taylor Cooke. Here is what people she worked with her in the years since my class have said about her.
From Kathy Nitta, who taught her in several methods classes:
“Taylor took a stance of inquiry in considering theories and research-based strategies. She would ask insightful questions and connect readings and course materials with her field experience. She exhibited a willingness to share her thinking with her cohort. Her cohort saw her as a leader and would often ask her questions and seek her feedback.”
Kathy also supervised Taylor in the Extended Learning Opportunity program at Holmes. Taylor took a leadership role at the winter session of ELO and then continued in the Spring. She designed STEM activities for the session and she supported her MIT cohort in implementing those activities. The other service learning students looked up to Taylor as a great support.
From Dr. Deborah Nieding, a faculty member who taught Taylor methods and strategies Courses:
“Taylor took 4 classes from me as a graduate student and her work was outstanding. Taylor set a high standard, which exceeded the stated expectations and always turned her work in on time or before the due date. Taylor consistently served as a resource to her peers in the cohort.”
Dr. Nieding also worked with Taylor as Taylor took on responsibilities with Kappa Delta Pi, our Educational Honor society. “I worked closely with Taylor while she was an undergraduate and served as the treasurer of KDP. She was dependable and competent. She followed up on all the details involved in KDP as the treasurer and as an officer. Taylor was also instrumental in the first Camp Rosauer that we hosted.”
Taylor’s passion for service to others is apparent in all that she does whether it is helping her colleagues, coaching, teaching and volunteering. She embodies servant leadership. From her field supervisor Gwen Sanders upon hearing the news that Taylor had won the award: “Wow… how wonderful for Taylor!!! My impressions of her are: quietly confident, humble, appreciative. Taylor sees the need for some school/curricula reforms and quietly yet effectively works toward that in her teaching. Yay for Taylor!!!”
Her cooperating teacher commented: “I have witnessed so many leadership qualities in Taylor and am so excited that she has been selected for the leadership award. She has shown confidence, focus, persistence, decisiveness, inspiration, integrity, passion, positivity, and accountability. Her keen ability to spot problems in learning and find innovative ways to bridge the learning gap for all students is amazing.”
Furthermore, she added: “Sometimes I have to remind myself that Taylor is a student teacher. I know that she will be a phenomenal leader.”
Last but certainly not least are comments from her students. The prompt offered was:
What makes Miss Cooke a great teacher?
Evelina wrote: She lets us skip math when we don’t know what to do. She is nice.
Ava wrote: She works hard, she’s nice.
Christian wrote: She is nice, she is cool.
Through a qualitative research lens, I am beginning to see a pattern here.
Zach adds: She is nice and always having fun.
And finally my favorite:
Aalyiah writes: If it is not a spelling test she will help us.
Congratulations Taylor on winning this year’s Wardian award for educational leadership.
-Dr. Jonas Cox
- Tell us about yourself: My name is Ziyba Ibragimova. I received an M.Ed in Leadership & Administration in August of 2015
- What are you doing now?: I have started my own enterprise called One Small World Trainings. I offer workshops on cultural competence and cultural awareness for both mainstream Canadian groups or organizations and immigrant/refugee groups. I also offer mental health wellness workshops for immigrant/refugee groups.
- Why did you choose a program in the School of Education at Gonzaga? Gonzaga has a history in my area of offering reputable Masters level programs.
- What influenced you the most during your time at Gonzaga? My advisor and at times instructor, Dan Mahoney, was the greatest influence on me. His genuine caring for all of us, patience, understanding, and willingness to teach us how to do things right rather than just give a grade was truly admirable. He is an authentic leader who is not driven by his ego. I don’t believe anyone anywhere could have done a more complete or excellent job.
- What was your greatest lesson learned at Gonzaga? Through various presentations in most of our classes, I developed my creativity and confidence in going outside the norm. My goal was always to appeal to the audience. I wasn’t much aware of my own capacity for this until I did my Master’s. In general, my experience with Gonzaga helped me believe in myself and see the sky as the limit.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in your field? Most challenging? The most rewarding aspect is the hope that I may make a difference in bringing people together. Being invited into the lived reality of immigrants and refugees is a privilege that teaches me in many ways. The challenge is to stay open to seeing what is needed and what will work to bring about the well-being of others.
- What critical issues do you see that need to be addressed in your field? In terms of immigrants and refugees, very little is happening to integrate each into mainstream society both emotionally and in awareness. Similarly, nothing is being done to help mainstream society understand the newcomers. Hence, there are divisions and lack of trust that need not be there. Right now I am working with Syrian women, and being with them, understanding them, feeling accepted by them and seeing their challenges to integrate into Canadian society is fulfilling and enlightening. Expanding this work to other communities and to mainstream Canadians is not easy.
- What advice do you have for future education professionals? Go outside your comfort zone. Recognize that finding a new understanding of oneself is exciting and strengthening. Be creative in every venture.
- Tell us about yourself: Michaela Jones, B.Ed. in Special Education, class of 2013.
- What are you doing now? I currently teach 3rd grade at a Title I school in Spokane.
- Why did you choose a program in the School of Education at Gonzaga? When I entered Gonzaga as a freshman, I thought I wanted to be a primary science specialist, so I signed up for the elementary endorsement (majoring in biology). About two weeks into my Intro to Special Ed course, I realized that I was way more passionate about teaching neurodivergent kids than I was about science, so I switched into the Special Ed program, and have never looked back!
- What influenced you the most during your time at Gonzaga? I think the biggest influence at GU was the culture of community. Whether it was a study session that got way off-task with my Honors class, a collaborative project for a philosophy course, or helping each other figure out how to graph data for a case study in Rosauer Lab, I was always surrounded by people with different schema and life stories who pushed me to “shape up or ship out” ideas, beliefs, and habits that have made me — ready for the Zag buzzword? — the authentic citizen I aim to be every day.
- What was your greatest lesson learned at Gonzaga? Do I have to pick just one? I’d have to say that one lesson that I mastered at Gonzaga comes from the quote: “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” Interaction after interaction on campus – with peers, with professors, with District 81 students- knocked me down and picked me back up, better for the dust and wear. I learned to seek out the edges of and to love conquering what was outside my comfort zone. Now that I spend my days surrounded by 8 and 9 year olds, it’s a great skill to have!
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in your field? Most challenging? In order to reply about the most rewarding and challenging aspects of teaching in Title I, I must again share someone else’s words. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” The most rewarding aspect of working in my field is every moment a child’s face lights up with love, when they are so excited to share life with me and the belief that they MATTER shines through their story. Sometimes that moment happens over academics, sometimes it’s over basketball, chess, or a chance encounter on the way to the restroom. The injustice of just how crucial these moments are is the most challenging aspect of teaching. We work so continuously with our families and community to surround all of our children with support, and bureaucracy bowls over those efforts. It’s hard to listen to the media report that state and national politicians say there’s not enough funds for education on one hand, but that there will be millions cut further from initiatives and programs such as subsidized lunch. It shouldn’t be an outrage, a battle, to provide our children with these moments of pride and resilience, yet priorities set by those who are unaffected make it one.
- What critical issues do you see that need to be addressed in your field? The list of critical issues in education could fill pages: smaller class size, more mental health services on site, better social emotional learning, decision making that reinstates professionalism for educators, less emphasis on standardized testing… At the end of the page, though, the critical issues boil down to this: if we agreed at a bureaucratic level to train all staff in data-verified strategies for growth of the whole child, and to fund programs based on research-driven effectiveness rather than on philosophical and anecdotal theories, I think the balance of trust in education and emphasis on child-focused interactions would be restored.
- What advice do you have for future education professionals? Self-care is an ethical responsibility. Someone somewhere said that educators are candles who use themselves up to light the flames of others. It’s lies and slander and a perpetuating ethos that is a real cause for the stat that 50% of new teachers leave the field within 5 years. Know your contract rights. Take lunch without meetings. Give yourself grace- always- but work like mad the first couple of years to develop routines so you can find a place where you leave work without taking grading home every night. Save lesson plans and tasks to tweak and reuse next year. The wheel has already been invented– share with your colleagues! Weekends are a sacred time to rest. Develop relationship with your colleagues outside of shop talk. Learn a new hobby; master it, and pick up a new one. Actively participate in school functions and committees where decisions are made, but practice saying no when your plate is already balanced. Develop daily, weekly, and monthly habits of refreshment for your body. Read for fun during the school year. Say yes to adventure as it comes. Matt Haig wrote that a quark is not the smallest particle in the universe; the regret at one’s deathbed for not spending more time at work is. Children are the most important work there is. They deserve passionate and interesting adults to model a well-rounded life and guide them.