![]() When I first wrote "A Million Magical Dreams" during the pandemic, this song from The Greatest Showman became my anthem. Every morning, I would run to the beat of that song, letting the lyrics fuel me with hope and courage. As a new district tech integration specialist, it gave me strength when everything felt heavy and uncertain, and it reconnected me with my passion for creating magical learning experiences for all students. Now, years later, I find myself teaching culinary arts again, and that same song still echoes in my heart. The passion and purpose that surfaced during those runs has resurfaced again, propelling me forward into the world of teaching. It was a bold decision to return to to the classroom after six years—one I didn’t take lightly. I was happy in my former role as an educational consultant, with the freedom, and flexibility that came with it. I felt like I was making a difference as I worked with educators around the globe and I was enjoying it! But even so, there was a magnetic force pulling me back to the classroom. There is a special magic we tap into when we are with students, and I needed to reconnect with that magic again. Chasing Joy As I navigate this new phase, I need to continually remind myself to look for the joy. There was a time when I felt like I had everything dialed in, when I was at the top of my game. But now, in a new school with new staff and students, I feel like a new teacher again. It's hard and there are days that I feel defeated. It’s a humbling experience, but it’s also part of my metamorphosis. I want to keep learning and growing, and with that challenge and change is inevitable. I need to remind myself to continue to chase joy, even on the most difficult days...especially on the most difficult days. It’s what grounds me, even when everything else feels uncertain and messy. Joy is the ingredient that makes all the hard work worth it. Some days it feels more challenging to find, but it is there, I just have to look for it. I find joy in the small moments—when a student returns a smile and "hello" as they walk into class, the laughter as students collaborate in the kitchen, and the pride on their faces as they present their finished creation. But it’s also in the connections we slowly build with our students, and the relationships they build with each other. It's in the growth we see as they acquire new skills and build new knowledge. Dream in Bright Color Listening to A Million Dreams again brought me back to the dreams I held during the pandemic, but now, those dreams have taken on new colors. I’m not the same educator I was before. I’ve evolved, and so have my dreams. I find myself eager to learn new strategies for reaching my wide array of learners in my classroom, brush up on my culinary skills that feel a bit rusty, binge watch reality shows to spark ideas for my gamified classroom, and learn from teachers that inspire me and challenge my thinking. Dreaming in bright color means embracing the unknown. It means trusting that even in a new environment, we can create something magical. My dream for my students goes beyond teaching them culinary skills; I want them to find confidence, to learn how to collaborate, and to discover the joy in learning. I want them to be excited to step into my classroom and empowered to take their learning to the next level. Find the Joy Seekers and Sunshine Spreaders One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the years is the value of surrounding myself with joy seekers and sunshine spreaders. In my classroom, I look for those students who bring light into every culinary lab, who lift up their peers, and who find excitement in even the smallest victories. These are the students who remind me that we’re in this together—learning, growing, and making magic in the kitchen. I also find myself trying extra hard to bring joy to those students who may not return a smile and may need a little extra sunshine in their life. My hope is that as they leave my classroom, their day may feel a little brighter. But it’s not just about the students. I’ve found joy seekers in my friends, family, and personal learning network as well, those who inspire me to keep pushing forward and remind me why I came back. I lean on them often and find comfort in sharing my day and all its joy and challenges. They know my story and can help bring perspective when I feel too buried to see above the clouds. In this new school, with new faces and new challenges, I’m learning to reach out to colleagues who see the potential in every situation and who keep the joy alive, no matter what. Start Dreaming; You Hold the Magic
Returning to the classroom was a bold decision, but I made it because I know there’s magic in teaching. There’s magic in the relationships we build with our students, in the way we foster their growth, and in the way we learn from them in return. I also came back because I want to inspire other educators to reconnect with their own magic. I never want to lose sight of the dream I have for educators—to find joy and passion for teaching and learning, so that school becomes a place students are running towards, not away from. Every day, when I step into my classroom, I need to continue to remind myself of what our schools could become if we dared to reimagine them as magical places of joy. Even on the hardest days, even when I feel like I’m starting over, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. This work—this joyful, challenging, beautiful work—is the most important I’ve ever done. And I never want to forget that.
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![]() One early morning, on my way to the gym, I flipped on my XM radio just as the morning show host said something that I have been thinking about ever since, “Sometimes you need to shake the snow globe.” I couldn’t help but reflect on how much this simple statement resonated with my unexpected return to teaching high school culinary arts after six years away. After working in a variety of roles throughout these years including: tech integration specialist, Student Engagement & PD Specialist, Global Community Manager and Learning Consultant for Canva, stepping back into the classroom has felt exactly like shaking up my own snow globe. The flakes of excitement, uncertainty, and challenge are swirling all around me, reminding me that shaking things up is not easy, but exactly what I needed. Returning to the classroom is challenging me in new ways. Teaching, especially in a hands-on environment like culinary arts, demands problem-solving at a rapid pace. I’m constantly faced with the task of meeting the diverse needs of my learners in an environment with a lot of variables. The range of learning accommodations and social emotional needs in each of my classes requires me to approach every day with flexibility, tailoring my lessons and finding new ways to engage students where they are. It’s both exhilarating and exhausting. But through this process, I’ve realized that shaking up my routine has pushed me to think in ways I haven’t in a long time. Another realization that hit me upon returning is how much I am using a creative part of my brain that had gone dormant. As an educational consultant and tech specialist, creativity was important, but it wasn’t the same as the classroom. Now, the need for creativity is immediate. Every day, I’m creating opportunities for my students to learn, experience, and grow. They’re depending on me to bring energy, innovative lessons, and ways to make learning relevant and engaging, especially in the kitchen. Whether it’s gamifying the lesson to introduce a concept or designing a culinary challenge that stretches their skills, I’m flexing muscles I haven’t used in a while. And it feels good. What’s most validating, though, is the reassurance that I still remember how to teach. After six years away, there was that little voice of doubt that whispered: “Do you still have it in you?” Returning to the classroom has allowed me to shake off that doubt. Yes, I can still manage a kitchen full of students. Yes, I can still build connections, foster creativity, and facilitate learning. I’m navigating a new generation of students, new expectations, and new challenges, but the core of who I am as a teacher remains the same. This transition back to teaching has been a reminder that, sometimes, shaking the snow globe brings about clarity. It has re-energized me, pushed me to innovate, and reminded me of the joy that comes with teaching. It’s not just about stirring things up for the sake of it—it’s about realizing that in the chaos of the shake, there’s beauty and purpose. I’m grateful for this shake-up and excited for the journey ahead.
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Tisha RichmondCulinary Arts teacher, educational consultant, international speaker, and author of Make Learning Magical, Dragon Smart, and co-author of the EduProtocols Companion Guide for Book 1. I'm passionate about finding innovative ways to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom. |