The Write Stuff

Though I've always felt called to be a teacher, it's no secret that I'd also love to be a writer. Recently, I was fortunate enough to be able to bring the two vocations together.

Back in May, I saw an advertisement via the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Facebook page for an opportunity to submit an article to Educational Horizons Magazine. They were looking for topics that pertain to new teachers for their "Teacher's Toolkit" spread. 

So, just for the fun of it (nerd alert), I wrote an article focused on ways to connect with students' families--a topic I wish I would have had more information on when I was a new teacher. My friends Ruthie and Joey (who are both great teachers & writers themselves) graciously proofread my little article, and with their votes of confidence, I sent it off, and headed to the lake to officially kick off summer break.

Fast forward to July when I got word from the editor of Educational Horizons that they wanted to publish my article in their October/November issue! Confetti! 

But the celebrating didn't end there. A few weeks later, their editor contacted me with a (paid) opportunity to host a webinar related to the topic of my article, sponsored by the magazine. So, I thought about it for a fraction of a second, and then said YES.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, after the initial excitement died down, I did freak out a little bit. The thought of teachers from all across the country listening to me speak was a tad intimidating to say the least. But my friends and coworkers hyped me up with their encouraging words, and on September 25th, I lead my very first webinar. Despite my nerves, I think it went well. 

You can find a recording of my webinar, "Connecting With Families" under Past Webinars here: http://pilambda.org/benefits/webinars/

This weekend I was delighted to open my mailbox and find the October/November issue of Educational Horizons with my article published inside!

You can read my article online for free until the end of October here: http://pilambda.org/horizons/connecting-with-families/

I'm so grateful to Educational Horizons for giving me my first chance to have my writing printed in a national publication, and to lead my very first webinar. I'm also so appreciative of the support from my family and friends along the way. 

Here's hoping this is the first of many writing opportunities to come.