Today was Movie Character Dress Up day due to the beginning of our yearly fundraiser, Boosterthon. I dressed as Elsa. My lovely sidekick (my assistant principal), Olaf, got the better end of the deal being able to wear a warm costume all day as opposed to my silk, shear gown. I also had on an itchy, scratchy wig all day (that didn’t fit very well). As I was thinking about dressing up as Elsa I started thinking about that comfort level. Comfort is something I really value. I value comfortable shoes (now that I am older). I crave my comfort foods. I love being in my house, on the couch with my favorite blanket, hot coffee and a good book. As extroverted as I am, the last place I want to be is at a social event-I’d rather be with my small circle of friends. I, and it would be safe to assume we, enjoy our comfort zones. This is probably one reason why we do the same thing over and over, we order the same thing at restaurants because we know it is good, sit on the same pew at church each Sunday, take the same route to school each morning, and it is why Elsa locked herself up in a castle for years. If you have no idea what I am talking about or you haven’t seen the movie Frozen, I’ll give you the Cliff Notes version.
Queen Elsa discovers at a very early age that she has magical powers to turn things into ice. She has little control over this power thus isolating herself from the people and most importantly from her sister, Ana, until the day of her coronation in which she accidentally traps her entire kingdom in an eternal winter. Full of fear, Elsa flees to the snow covered mountains and locks herself in an ice castle (remember the cold never bothered her anyway). Ana follows after her because she believed in her sister and knew she could use her power for good. Elsa was afraid and refused to return with her sister but rather injured Ana. In the end, Elsa leaves the ice castle, stops the eternal winter, and saves many people’s lives, including Ana.
So why did Elsa lock herself into the castle? She was afraid. She was comfortable in her castle. She felt safe there. Stepping outside of our comfort zone can be scary, it can be hard, it can feel lonely, and it can also be the best thing you’ve ever done. I studied to be a special education teacher. I made the decision not to come back to work after Rosebro#1 was born and then my principal, Mr. Page, called me and begged me to come back to work that next fall. He had an ELA/SS position and wanted me there. I said yes with such reluctance. I was so scared going from 12 self-contained students to teaching 100 6th graders. I was on a team with some of the best teachers who really helped show me how my years of special education made me a better regular education teacher. Then a few years later, my former AP called and offered me a job at JBE-my pick 3rd grade, 5th grade or 6th grade. This was the school my kids were to attend. It made great sense to move, but it was out of my comfort zone. It wasn’t even on my radar. I was so happy and content where I was. My co-teachers all but packed my room up for me and I went kicking and screaming. I then moved to JBE and pretty much have had the trajectory of my entire career change since then.
That comfort zone is tempting, but much like Elsa that comfort will soon become a prison. I call the comfort zone the Danger Zone. It is in that comfort zone where we forget to grow in our craft. We forget to collaborate with others. We stop reflecting. We stop learning, We also lose our passion. When passion goes away, a teacher loses so much more than a feeling inside. We are often asked to do many “new” things in education. Sometimes it is overwhelming. Sometimes it is frustrating. Yet, more often than not, it is exciting and fun. Stepping out of your comfort zone (or the danger zone) may be frightening, but the brilliant part in our world of education, is that you don’t have to do it alone. We have folks to get you out of the castle. You can never know just how powerful you are until you face your fears and see what might just happen. It may just be the best thing that has ever happened.
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