Starting Over: Why I Said Yes to a New Teaching Adventure

My classroom was a well-oiled machine.

After 24 years in upper elementary education, I knew exactly what worked. My classroom was organized and streamlined. Years of refining my practice had created systems that felt almost effortless. I knew my standards inside and out and had built a collection of lessons, activities, and resources that could meet students where they were—whether they needed extra support or a greater challenge. I  knew my teaching was effective.

So why would I leave all of that behind to start over?

It certainly wasn’t because I was unhappy. I loved my students. I loved my teammates. I loved teaching fourth grade. But over the last couple of years, I started noticing something I couldn’t quite ignore…

I needed to respark my creativity and excitement. Despite strongly disliking and resisting change, I thrive off growth and learning.

While teaching was still every bit as demanding, I realized that I had become incredibly comfortable. The constant challenge of figuring things out—the kind that stretches you as an educator—wasn’t there in the same way anymore. Instead of enjoying this, my tendency is to get restless, because I need that challenge to inspire or require me to grow as an educator.

Apparently my version of the seven-year itch is at nine years.

When the opportunity to teach the gifted pull-out class became available, I wasn’t looking for a way out of fourth grade. I was looking for a way to grow.

Gifted education would require me to think differently. I’d be designing curriculum again, creating new learning experiences, and stretching myself in ways I hadn’t for years. It was exciting and a little intimidating.

I spend a lot of time encouraging my students to embrace challenges that make them think differently. Eventually, I realized it was my turn to take that advice.

This new role will look very different from anything I’ve taught before. I’ll teach gifted students in first through fifth grade, spending one full day each week with each grade level. Saying that I’m nervous about teaching first grade one day a week would be an understatement!

I’ve spent the summer reading, researching, planning, sketching ideas, and creating. Some of those ideas will work beautifully. Others…not so much. That’s part of learning. Either way, I can’t wait to share the journey with you.

One thing won’t change. I still won’t create resources just to have something new to sell. Every resource I share will be something I’ve used, refined, and believe genuinely helps students learn. That’s always been my promise, and this new chapter won’t change it.

In many ways, this feels like my first year of teaching all over again. I’ll be designing new curriculum, discovering what works with different age groups, and stretching myself as an educator every single week. While that’s a little intimidating, it’s also incredibly exciting—because I’ve found that my best ideas usually come during seasons when I’m learning the most.