Michael Dennis

So shall I plant sequoias And revel in the soil Of a crop I know I'll never live to reap? Then sow my body to my Maker And my heart unto my savior And spread me on the road, the rocks, and the weeds. John Mark McMillan, “The Road, The Rocks, and the Weeds” I’ve written two blogs for Victorious Educators since I became a teacher. The first one was written in May of 2023, four months after I started my new career. It was bright-eyed, hopeful, and passionate, and it looked optimistically...

Moses said , “Please, Lord, send someone else.” Exodus 4:13 I have always had a soft spot for the underdog. My heart is drawn to people who have been wounded, abused, or held down in some way. It is my greatest joy to see them overcome the obstacles in front of them and reach their fullest potential. When I first began to feel called to go into education, I never really had a doubt that I would end up in a “tough” school working with kids from “rough” backgrounds. Even though I don’t...

“I have no idea what I’m doing.” This was the thought that dominated my consciousness as I walked into my new classroom for the first time. The empty walls and empty desks were a fitting metaphor for my empty brain. I was a brand-new teacher entering the profession mid-year in an academically deficient school that was very culturally different from anywhere I had lived or worked before. There would be students walking through the door in mere moments, and I had nothing for them except a few...