Whirlwind

Something wild happened yesterday. I was announced as a finalist for Oklahoma state TOY.

The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind, and I’m doing my best to process.

I woke up to my IG filled with congratulatory comments from past students and it about knocked the air out of me, seeing how supportive they were and still are. Sometimes I still can’t believe I get paid to hang out with them all day. (Other days I think should get paid about quadruple, so you know, it evens out.)

But then I got this DM that meant more than any accolade—that reminded me of the important work we do whether everyone sees us, or no one does:

“I wanted to reach out and say congratulations and a big life change I had recently that I am not sure you’ve heard about but after living in Mexico I decided I wanted to be a high school math teacher and you were my inspiration because when I say you were the best math teacher I have had. You made me love math like I do now and love the idea about teaching your students to love math. Thank you so much Mrs Peterson. You’re an amazing teacher.”

I played some kind of part in helping kids in Mexico have access to this amazing light of a young woman? And she’s using her weird passion like me to pour into them?

It’s too much.

And absolutely just right.

You all, we just don’t know. We don’t always know when we help influence a child’s trajectory.

They may become teachers like us, and that makes me want to be the very best version of myself so they can be the very best version of themselves to their students.

Lots of them won’t become teachers. And that’s great too. But either way, I hope they feel safe in our rooms. I hope they feel we see only the light—in them and in others. I hope that the way we love them changes the way they love themselves and others.

Because that’s how we change the world: by our example, not our opinion.

By our love, not by our awards.

Sending so much love from my classroom to yours…

Thank you for doing what you do. If no one has told you today: you’re making a difference, whether you see it right this second or not. I promise you are.