Imagine, reality based part2

Imagine your best-case scenario future. Where will you be living in 2020? What will you do with your days? How are you changing the world on a daily basis?

Reading some of the more imaginary posts, I discovered I was still in fact mode when I wrote the following. This is much more in line with my real personal expectations, than "what if". In my second effort, I've gone to the creative fiction parts of my mind. Here, creative non-fiction:

Ten years from now. I’ll still be working, either as a teacher or as a writer, or as both. If I’m lucky and determined enough to make it happen. I’m now in that age group where they avoid hiring you because you are too expensive, (salary, potential medical costs, ) too old, or they are reluctant to give me a try.

I expect I’ll have finally retired from the public school system in New Mexico. I need 4-6 years more, I think. Then again, I may be on an American Indian reservation somewhere in the US, teaching. I may be anywhere in the world. Reality says I’ll go where I can get a job. Where ever I go, I will make a difference.

I’ve been blessed by students who have told me that, even after teaching situations where I felt I had completely failed my students! That was a shock. One of my "trouble" students told me "you are the best teacher I ever had."

I know I make a difference because I care. I stop and listen and work with the student towards skill and attitude development in whatever way seems to have a chance of working. I work hard with focus and determination.

My goal is simple: Students of all ages need to feel good about themselves, their progress, and see progress.

Of course there are students who have different goals. They need the most work and lead to the highest failure rate in most schools. But they won’t leave my class without knowing somewhere in their mind that “Someone really cares.” However they may have trouble believing it. They will know. We humans are very good at blocking those messages we do not believe or are afraid of believing. The self has its own world view and tries hard to keep it, whether it is positive or negative.

In ten years, regardless of my location, or position in the world, I’ll care, I’ll teach, I’ll give a spark or bit of knowledge or understanding that will create a positive change, or plant a seed ready to grow for them. I'll probably do that one person at a time.