A conflicted teacher

If being a teacher would actually consist of just teaching classes than teachers would pretty much have the best job in the world. Unfortunately, as I have mentioned many times before, it is not. One of the most time consuming parts of being a teacher is in fact resolving teenage drama. This is not a job for the faint hearted among us. You migh have forgotten your own teenage drama since it's been awhile, but let me tell you most teens carry so much drama we should nickname them Atlas (greek mythology reference people.. look it up :P)  As far as I am concerned the facts are these: people love to gossip and, since teenagers are just like people, they gossip as well. However, they have a less developed understanding of the consequences of running your mouth like a speed train, which means they talk a lot of shit about each other and then always end up in tears when it blows up in their faces. This year my very own mentor class could probably compete for the 'not being able to min

When I was 22, I went on a trip to London with my classmates for a schoolproject. We took the bus and the ferry, and the journey (including traffic jams) took several hours... I hated every second of those hours and truth be told did not enjoy the rest of that trip that much either. Every single moment was spent with about forty other people around me. It was absolute, and utter hell. Seven years have passed since then and this distaste has never disappeared. Every field trip, every busride to camp, every single excursion to the theatre, sets my teeth on edge and grates my nerves. There's a reason I avoid marketplaces, don't do clubs or bars, won't go to festivals and will never see a movie in its opening week. Yes, it is true. I do not like crowds (and the people in them) very much.  Now people who have met me, will be surprised, because everyone who has ever interacted with me for more than ten seconds will automatically label me as an extrovert. Outgoing and loud (mostly

 "If teaching is going to be your career, then there is one thing you must accept: you must become a life long learner and not just a life long teacher" (Ron Morrain Belta day 2022) Powerful words taken from a day filled with powerful ideas. This year's edition of BELTA day was, as always, a rousing succes and, as always, got me thinking about a hundred different things at once.  It was so amazing to be back in Brussels and seeing people I hadn't seen for over two years. Hugging my friends, catching up with familiar faces and finally getting the opportunity to once again share experiences with other teachers face to face. Normally, this is the point where I summarize all the workshops I've seen and give a global perspective on the day. But this time around I'd like to do something else. I'd like to, following the suggesting of one Ron Morrain, take a moment and reflect on how today impacted my own professional development.  First of all, every conference y