Elisia Magazine Issue SIX Elisia Magazine: Mar 2015 | Page 6

EDUCATION

Shante McCoy

FINDING

VICTORY
IN THE VALLEY

A month ago I decided to take a leap of faith and
retire from teaching after eighteen years. My legs were
shaking as I sat across my principal’s desk and waited
for him to finish a phone call. I mean, who did I think I
was – a master teacher out sick for 10 weeks, mid
contract, with the weight of reading teachers, students
and campus scores on my back – to just up and leave?
I had rehearsed what I was going to say at least a
million times. I was going to look him right in the eyes,
remove all emotions, speak firmly and say, “I QUIT.”

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I knew it was time for me to close this chapter of my
journey because I had become uncomfortable and
discouraged in my position. I would lay awake at night
planning the professional developments I would host
for teachers across the country. I dreamed of getting
emails from principals requesting my services and
offering me top dollar to work with their teachers. I
would sit at my kitchen table pretending to sign
copies of the children’s books that I’d written and were
on the New York Times’ best seller list. I envisioned