One of my favorite movies is Office Space. It’s absolutely hilarious but since I’ve officially
joined the 9-5 working world, in a lot of ways, I now find Office Space to be strangely relatable. I don’t want to spoil the
movie for anyone that hasn’t seen it but if you have, you likely know what the
movie is about and why the main character, Peter Gibbons, is a very funny yet
unenthusiastic employee who dares to challenge the conventions of the 9-5 life.
The movie is pure, comedic genius. I enjoy working in an office, having an
excuse to slay in business casual attire, and being employed. It’s a blessing. And
while I have had jobs I didn’t necessarily like, I was able to learn something
from all of them, which is a blessing too. If you watch Office Space you may be able to gather more of what I’m talking
about, and observe some of the highs and lows of being part of the
professional working world, but I’m certain you’ll get a good laugh from it all
as well. Check it out sometime.
I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...