Returning to the school you went to as a teacher.

Shifting the dynamic from student to teacher within the school you went to yourself can feel both daunting, and comforting.

On one hand, the familiarity of being back in your old school can be a great source of comfort. I knew my way around, the mentality of teachers, the expected conduct and behaviour for all staff and students, and in a way, what to expect.

On the other hand, Students had siblings who had been in my classes, teachers were now working along side me when they had taught me, that shift in dynamic, in some cases. never happened - I was still a student in their eyes, and that was what I found to be most daunting when trying to bridge the gap from learner to educator.

How did I do it?

Well, I had to reflect on my interactions with them, as much as how they interacted with me.

Was I being more timid? Was I falling back into old habits I had left behind me at the school door when I left all the years ago? Was I carrying myself as an educator, or as a returning student who still feared the rules that no longer applied to me.

I had to change my interactions to be more like myself of the now again. I'm no longer who I was in school, and I wanted to show my great strides to the staff who had lead me there.

One aspect that worked well in my favour for overcoming this was the fact that upper management had changed, My former principal and Vice principal were no longer there, replaced by newer, fresh minded staff who took me in as an educator and adult.

Overall my experience in returning to my previous school was overwhelmingly positive, and taught me to share my talents, grow as a teacher and present the best version of myself.