“The Why”

Our “why”. It can be something small. It can be something grand. It simply needs to provide meaning to our lives. We all have a purpose, a passion and a drive that provides reasoning behind our decisions. Even within one profession, a simple answer can be the same, but the roots of it might be diverse and inspiring. They are what push us to move, dig deep, and show up. It isn’t easy. In fact, it is a daily struggle, but with our personal knowledge of why we do it, it makes showing up attainable.

As teachers, it is easy for many of us to name our why: the kids. We show up on a daily basis to provide holistic instruction to our students so they can be successful in their future lives. For some of us, we are driven by our own experiences as a student. We want to meet the bar a teacher set for us; others, we may want to do better by our students than was done for us. Some may be motivated to invest in students as the most precious resource for the future, while others see it as a way to inspire others to greatness.

The more we unpack this answer, the more detailed, personal reasoning comes to light. Students being centered at the heart of our why can be a double-edged sword though. It can push us past the limits we thought we had, but also hold us to an unhealthy moral expectation: that we should give all until we have nothing left for the children. Kids should be the why that drives our ambition and success but not levied against a teacher’s guilt quotient for having personal boundaries around work. Student joy and achievement should be the reinforcement for our time and effort, not something we seek at any cost to our (or their) mental and emotional health.

We may all be working towards the same goal. However, the impetus that pushes us towards that finish line varies from one person to the next. For us here at Rogue, we do this work as teachers because equity, accessibility, and social & emotional well-being matter. We do it because providing all students the opportunity to learn and grow holistically is how we shape our future society. We do it, simply, because every single individual should be awarded the same opportunity. In our time as educators, we have come to understand that, systemically, we are failing to meet the needs of all students (and even staff).

From our experience, teachers are expected to shape the world by leading their students to the knowledge that will allow them to be successful with little to no resources in social emotional instruction. In the beginning, we assumed it was because the field just hadn’t caught up with the times. As time marched on and the gap persisted, an idea took root that maybe we couldn’t simply wait for someone else to get it right. That root has taken us here to this new space, because sometimes a lack of something also propels us into action. We may not get everything right, nor always be the voices who should be taking center stage, but we will take as many steps as we need to help close the gap and elevate the voices of those who should be leading the charge. Because for us, that is the “how” to ensure we do everything for our “why”.

“If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.” – T.D. Jakes

-Rogue Out