But wait, Amy! Are you saying I am "a fool" for joining the teaching profession?
No silly, that's for other people in your life to tell you!
What I am telling you is that you're young (at heart), vibrant, and full of idealistic dreams of changing the world one student at a time. Congratulations! You are about to embark on the teacher's journey. The best place to start this journey is to take a look at the Fool card, our first card in the Major Arcana.
So how does this apply to the teacher's journey?
You might be a Fool if:
- You are deciding on joining the teaching profession whether you are just deciding on your major in college or deciding to make a career switch
- You are starting your first year as a new teacher
Don't worry, remember that butterfly feeling you get on the first day of the school year? Yup, that's Fool energy! The great thing about teaching is that you get the chance to play the fool over and over again because each year brings something new: new students, new curriculum, new hopes, new fears, new obstacles, and new joys! Every year is a brand new adventure and a brand new start!
How can the Fool Card help me on my journey? Take the card and meditate on the following:
- Use the energy of the sun and the bright yellow sky to help you to retain your optimism and idealism not only at the start of each school year, but at the start of each week and even each day! Every day is a new opportunity to live out your dream as a teacher!
- Like the Fool, keep your gaze high! The sky is the limit, so keep your head in the sky and dream big. Don't let the day to day struggles of being a teacher get you down.
- Take a leap of faith and believe that with a pure and open heart everything will be OK! Try out that new activity you've been thinking about. Talk to a co-worker or an administrator about a new idea you've had to improve school spirit or boost teacher morale.
Although I do not use reversals in my spreads, depending on the context of the spread, a card might have a warning attached to it. Here are some warnings the card may signal:
- See that little red satchel he is carrying? Sure is quite a tiny bag for a teacher! So remember, even though it is great to be optimistic and motivated, make sure that you have the resources you need! You need to model appropriate behavior for your students, so don't fly by the seat of your pants! Get grounded, get organized, and have a plan!
- Look before you leap! Once again, it's great to be excited and have all kinds of idealistic dreams for your classes, but make sure you create a clear syllabus and match your objectives to the standards!
Things to think about:
As you well know, teaching isn't for the faint of heart. I don't have to tell you what a daunting task it can be. But when you struggle and find yourself asking yourself, why am I still doing this? Just remember the Fool and reconnect to your idealism and your optimistic nature. I will also be posting a Fool related spread to help you reconnect with that energy, so please stay tuned!
And lastly, remember that your students are also fools. Haha and not just in the ways you might imagine! But they are innocent, new souls trying to navigate through a very tumultuous time in their lives. They are very idealistic too, but they don't always look before they leap. So when you are being compassionate with yourself when you make a mistake, don't forget to feel compassion for your students who are bound to make many mistakes on their journey into adulthood!
Coming Attractions:
- A Fool's Spread - Remember why you wanted to become a teacher in the first place!
- Let's go back to school! Gather your resources as you meet The Magician!
All my best,
Amy
This card sums up my first 5 years of teaching.I have taught in a number of schools and different districts. I made some difficult decisions out of pure optimism and while I had to work harder than I imagined, I feel that it has made me stronger.
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