For the last six years, I have taught Humanities. Before COVID, we had a double period so we could teach both ELA and Social Studies. It was a dream job.
I have learned a few things over my years as a teacher and one very important lesson I have learned is that dream jobs don’t last. That could have made me cynical, but I have also learned that, as Mother Superior says in The Sound of Music, “When the Lord closes a door, he opens a window.” I am wiser, but not yet jaded.
Next year, my school district is dropping Humanities and adding separate ELA and Social Studies classes. This means that Humanities teachers have to make a choice. And, for me, it is a Sophie’s choice. I love teaching both.
I filled out the annual “what I want to do next year survey” early last week. For the past week I have edited my online form multiple times, some days choosing ELA, others Social Studies. Fortunately, the form had a space at the end for me to write. I wrote about the fact that my Humanities partner was retiring. I wrote about my love for both. And I wrote about my trust in the administration to make the best decision for the school as a whole. Trust is my One Little Word of 2021.
I have no idea when we will find out. I have no idea when the form will close. I hope it is soon, so that I am not tempted to change my answer yet again. Regardless, I trust that the right decision will be made and I will be happy with it.
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