Be the One...Who Stays Positive


I interviewed for my first teaching position in February and didn't realized that the job started immediately. My degree posted on February 16 and I started teaching on the 18th.  I was a twenty one year old and not sure what to expect come Monday. I was assigned as a physical education teacher at six different elementary schools. My classes were anywhere from ninety students to one hundred twenty students, and I was assigned two instructional aides to help with the class sizes.
Monday morning came and I met my two aides I had been paired with. From the get go, I was hit with some hesitation from these individuals. As soon as I walked into the room, one of them looked at me and said "you are too young to be a teacher." The other said, "I could be your mom." I rolled with it and provided an awkward laugh and then tried to remain calm and positive. It was 15 minutes before our first class was coming outside, so we went to set up the blacktop. As I rounded the corner, I looked up to see the ball wall had been tagged with many derogatory words. I stopped and remember thinking, "What did I get myself into?"
I was psyching myself out.
I was scared.
I wasn't sure what to do.
I did the only thing I knew how to, I stayed positive. The principal was running around like a chicken with their head cut off, trying to get things cleaned up. I offered my assistance and showed many that I was more than a young guy, I was a positive person who would do anything for kids. I think back a lot to my first day.
Things aren't always going to go the way we want or the way things should go. Staying positive will help any situation and make things a little better.
When I interviewed for another job in a different district, one of my principals told me that during my reference she said that Ryan is someone who is constantly smiling. It was a trait that they were looking for, they wanted someone who was positive. She told me that I better not stop smiling, because it would make her a liar.
I keep smiling...
When I walked into a principals meeting in February, a principal looked me up and down and asked me a question. "Why are you so happy? I look on your twitter and you are always having fun." I looked at her and said yes I do. I tried to explain to her that we all need positivity in our lives. If you are not positive at least fake it, so kids, teachers, and parents win. Not to mention, you win!
Positivity is a mindset and a choice. I face adversity each and every day, but I make the choice to try to be positive. It doesn't always work for me, but I try.

Be the one who stays positive when things get rough.

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