30 Day Blog Challenge: Day Seven-Most Inspirational Colleague

Who was or is your most inspirational colleague, and why?



For some reason prior to reading today's challenge, I was thinking about Karen.  I met Karen in 2002 when I first began teaching at our school.  After the first couple of years of settling in, we ended up sharing a room.  She floated in to teach Geometry to the same students I had for Honors English.

I call Karen my "at-work" sister.  She and my biological sister ironically share the same birthday.  She reminds me so much of my biological sister.  I am the free-spirited one....the risk-taker...the one you have to hold back to make sure I do not dive into a big hot mess.

Then there is Karen (the embodiment of Shannon at work) who is cautious, reserved, and evaluates situations prior to acting.  We call each other "the other half of my brain".  We work well together.  We have different styles of operating, but it just works!!

I admire Karen for several reasons:

• She is the Chihuahua at work who may be little, but has a big bite!
• She will take an unpopular stance even when she is alone.
• She always has her heart in the right place and is very genuine
• She does not mince words (yikes)
• She is really funny and I am privileged to see that side of her
• Her work ethic is impeccable and beyond compare 
• She is an instructional leader and models it to the nth degree
• She is my friend and a wonderful mother to two great kids
• She is a visionary...she is looking at the now and the later...and the much later
• She is the only math teacher I have gotten along with.....bwaaaahhhhhhh!!!

She is affectionately known as KVC at our house