What I Used to Do
Before I started Creative Theory Studios, I spent 19 years as a teacher. For the first 10-12 years, I thought it was the best job I ever had. Obviously, it wasn’t the money that made it so rewarding. But I really enjoyed teaching the students. I mostly taught 3rd grade, but spent a few of those years teaching 5th grade. I loved the relationships I build with my students, and can honestly say I treated them like they were my own children.
However, about 7-8 years ago, things started to change in education. Some really “smart” government officials began to feel that there needed to be an overhaul to the education system. And that’s when the demand on teachers started to increase. I started to feel taken advantage of. It was as if someone said, “We know teachers care about their kids, so how can we take advantage of that?”
Then, about 4-5 years ago, the demand became too stressful (at least for me). District and State administrations kept wanting more and more from teachers. It got to the point where the professional opinions of teachers were completely ignored. District leaders didn’t seem to acknowledge what was best for the students anymore, worrying more about performance on a standardized test than how and what a student needs. Post Covid-19, everything became worse. We were told repeatedly that the 2020-2021 school year was going to be different, but by the end of the first semester, the expectations placed on teachers were higher than ever.
It was about that time where I saw the writing on the wall. When the 2021-2022 school year began, District leaders pushed the newest curriculum. Teachers recognized it was too difficult for struggling students, but they care. They just expected us to teach it. At one point I had a district leader come into my classroom to demonstrate this new curriculum. During her lesson, many of my colleagues and I observed close to 50% of the class unable to pay attention. Post Covid created a shift in education. Teachers saw it. Teachers made it known. District leaders didn’t care to listen. That’s when I realized my professional opinion doesn’t matter anymore. That’s when I knew I was done.
That’s also when I knew it was time for something else. I had already been writing and/or directing a variety of projects like shorts films, music videos, and TV commercials for over seven years now. So I just looked at the signs telling me it was time to try something else. That’s when the idea for Creative Theory Studios was born.
