Two things are true about me: I love a good challenge, and I love adventures. If I had to sum up the last few years of my life, I feel that those two words would define them best. As a high school student, I never would have chosen this path for myself. My bigger concern at the time was that I yearned to learn a new language, but the best option I had was Spanish. When I entered university, I decided to study Russian. I've always found myself intrigued by the culture, as were several people on my floor. Better yet, Russian language classes fit into my schedule, and my floor mates were happy to form a study group with me. It quickly morphed into my college major, which was followed by a study abroad experience in Siberia. (Yes, that's really where I lived for a semester!) Upon graduation, I was interested in translating Russian literature into English, but happened upon an opportunity to move to St. Petersburg to teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. I was full of hope for my future, but I didn't realize how much more I had to learn. 

It turns out that being an American student in Russia is significantly different from being an American living and working in Russia. The biggest challenge I faced in St. Petersburg  was navigating Russian institutions and feeling the pinch of adapting to their employment system. I decided to teach at a private school ran by a civilian with no education background. The primary focus of the owner was sustaining enrollment, which consequently created a steady flow of income. What was not a focus, however, was providing any tangible supports to the teaching staff. It would have been a hopeless situation with the sole exception of my mentor. She had taught for 20 years and was a certified EFL teacher trainer. I still use the techniques she taught me during those years, and I remember her fondly. I taught pre-intermediate to advanced-level English courses. My students ranged in age from 12 to 75 years old. Many of us staff members lived in on-campus housing. We cherished the opportunity to convene at the end of each day to vent, provide solidarity, and brainstorm solutions to the problems we encountered that day. My mentor was often part of these conversations. She had a knack for anticipating our challenges and formulating solutions before we needed them. This proved to be indispensable to us when the Covid-19 pandemic struck Russia in late 2019. My mentor gave us strategies to use as we transitioned to online learning. I taught at this school for two years before returning to the United States.

After coming home, I ended up teaching at the school where my mom has worked for the past six years. During a few summers in college, my mom arranged for me to be a teacher's aide for their summer school program. If I had to pinpoint the moment in which I realized that teaching would be the right career path for me, that would probably be it. The teachers I worked with gave me plenty to do each day. In retrospect, I realize it was probably because they were overwhelmed and happy to have some help! I also worked there as a substitute teacher periodically, so it was a natural next step for me as I readjusted to life back home. 

Coming back and teaching in the U.S. has, in many ways, felt like I started over, even if I already had two years of experience. My biggest struggle has been classroom management. I feel like this is a challenge even for teachers who underwent a student teaching placement during college. In those experiences, you come in halfway through the year when your cooperating teacher has already done the hard work of establishing effective routines and procedures. They are still very present and maintaining a sense of order, even if you're the one doing all of the teaching. When you have your own classroom, you have to make rules that match student needs. It requires a lot of trial and error, but I feel that the biggest challenge is identifying those needs in the first place. What is even trickier is knowing what the needs are, but not knowing what rule could be put in place to address that. There were many times at the beginning of my career that I felt like I was being judged based on my inability (at the time) to immediately fix student problems. For a new teacher who was figuring out so many things already, that was a low blow. I just wanted to ask for help without the worry of being chastised for my ignorance. Put simply: New teachers don't know what they don't know!

Another challenge I faced was pushback from some parents and students when I taught in ways that challenged my students. I've never wanted them to fail; I just want them to be adequately prepared for their future coursework. I want to help my students push past the boundaries that exist within themselves so they can see what they're capable of. Students need to be comfortable with healthy failure and being faced with a challenge. I recall taking a Russian test in college that I was massively unprepared for, on which my professor gave me a D--- ☹️. I should have received an F, as I only got six questions right, but few others did much better, and our professor wanted us to make corrections. At one point in my schooling, a grade of that magnitude would have shattered me, but because I had learned how to fail and bounce back from it, I was able to take my grade in stride, adjust course, and move forward successfully. I wish my students and their parents understood that idea better. 

The last defining challenge of my career has been adjusting to the challenges of teaching that go beyond the classroom. Non-teachers only see our career as getting lengthy breaks, but they don't see that I only have 30 minutes in which I can get and eat my lunch, use the restroom, and recoup in the middle of the day. My planning periods are spent working with students, proofreading papers, grading essays, or lesson planning. That is, when I'm not called upon to cover classes for absent colleagues. Much as I hate to admit it, a sizable chunk of my vacations are also spent on the aforementioned tasks. If I don't put in that time on my own, I simply cannot be successful in my position. Moreover, at the end of the day, I just want some downtime. I'm mentally drained, and I find myself just needing to be alone. I'm sure my friends and family think I'm being anti-social, but I really just need some time to myself.

For all of the challenges, I'm slowly learning to make adjustments and find balance in my life. Yoga classes have helped me take time to slow down and focus on taking time for myself. Walking my dog is also a great way to clear my mind at the end of a long day. Even beyond basic self-care, I often find little moments interspersed in my day that remind me how much I truly love teaching. I'm often surprised by this, especially since I didn't plan to teach during college. I love my students, too! I love being able to close my door and focus on my students, regardless of what may be happening in the school as a whole. My students make so many of the difficulties worth it. The personal connections you're able to forge are always the best part...all these years later, I still remember a student from my first year of teaching in Russia. He was the only boy in a class full of girls, and his daily commentary never failed to make me (and him!) laugh! I think about him periodically, and I hope he's doing well, wherever life has taken him. Being able to know that I was able to play a small role in his and so many other students' lives is a blessing I never fail to take for granted. I personally love knowing that I get to interact with students on a daily basis who will one day have the ability to change the world. This adventure, though full of challenges, has been one of the better ones I've embarked on. Each year becomes easier than the year before it, and I know that the best is yet to come!