After years of working in museums and libraires, I career transitioned into classroom teaching after COVID quarantine and the big Texas freeze in 2021 to feel more grounded and connected to community. Once the ice thawed, I moved to Tulsa, OK for a year to teach on an emergency license and open an art studio/boutique. I relocated back to Texas, and I’ve been teaching ever since, but it hasn’t been easy. Securing a classroom of my own, finding the right school fit, and battling bureaucracy has been a new set of challenges. I decided to document my thoughts as my teaching journey unfolds.
Hello! My name is Rae and I’m a millennial artist and third-generation educator in North Texas. At the start of the school year, many teachers are sending welcome messages with biographies to families and colleagues whether they are new hires, returning, or veterans. This is usually done via posted notices outside the classroom door, email, school website, or apps like Class Dojo, Slack, or Parent Square. Sometimes, teachers are asked to publish welcome messages and bios ourselves, or to complete forms and questionnaires from administration.
Either way, I like to emphasize my hard credentials in my bio to establish a professional rapport. In a lot of noncorporate settings, like nonprofits or schools, we’re encouraged to complete forms and bios with silly prompts or perform ice breakers with funny scenarios. That might be fun occasionally, but I’ve been left in scenarios where colleagues didn’t know my title, what I did, where my office was, or why I was hired! This informal approach to introductions was especially popular among Gen X and Millennial workers in the age of casually rebellious office culture. I was left having to defend every professional decision and boundary because I was not permitted to be properly introduced.
It’s not to say, “I’m better than you.”
It’s to say, “I belong here and I’m dedicated to staying.”
Disclosing my alma mater, degree, major, work or volunteer experience outside the classroom, background, or even age, establishes my authority in my classroom. It’s not to say, “I’m better than you.” It’s to say, “I belong here and I’m dedicated to staying.” Hard credentials help me cut through stereotypes like ‘those who can’t DO, become teachers’ or ‘teachers are just babysitters’. They can establish respect with veteran teachers and administration who may believe years of service is the ultimate authority. Some people might think being a parent is the foundation for an apt teacher. But, a welcome letter with a bio that includes time spent as a dance teacher or overseas au pair speaks highly of my trusted experience with kids. The parents of the students will know my decisions and expectations are weighted with care, intelligence, and dedication.
The downside? People might think I’m bragging, or they may get competitive, causing backlash and bullying to ‘humble’ me. I’d rather list my hard credentials anyway because I worked hard for them and I need to set a professional tone early on. Yes, I love bundt cake and tea, but I also have several degrees and years of work experience that have given me an eclectic mix of skills that will benefit the classroom.
Have a Pleasant Day!
-Rae