Finding New Firsts

I recall my first official day as a teacher like it was yesterday. I vividly remember the classroom, what I was wearing, and the expectant faces of the students in my grade 6/7 class (The truth is that after 28 years, I can still recall the first and last names of the students in that class!). That first day – and first year – was most memorable.

We all have special firsts in our lives: our first car, a first date with someone special, the first home we purchase, our first child, and so on. Each first comes with special memories, and can often be seen as a milestone. My first September as a teacher will always be special. The other 27 school start-ups, including this one, have been unique in their own way, but none will ever compare to that first one in 1987 at Devereaux Elementary School.

This is all the more reason for all of us to seek out new firsts. We are all learners at the core, and as we grow and improve to become better people, we must find new firsts to challenge ourselves. I am sure that as the year proceeds each of us will find new adventures to make our working and learning environment better than before. As we embark on what promises to be a wonderful year for our school district, I encourage you all to find new firsts to enrich yourselves and the lives of colleagues and students around you.

What will be your new first this year?

~ Kevin Godden