Life and Work with Megan O’Kelly

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan O’Kelly.

Megan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After college, I hit the ground running. I wanted to see it all and do it all, so I became a flight attendant. What I didn’t think about was how much I was going to miss out on the things that were happening here with my family and friends. I decided to buckle down, finish my student teaching and get into the classroom. I have been teaching in Boulder Valley for 11 years now and have found my passion… crazy, smelly, awkward middle-schoolers. They are the best!

I have always been a fan of Instagram, looking at other perspectives, traveling the globe without leaving my living room and getting ideas of things I wanted to try. Finally, I got the idea to start my Instagram page #teacherswho in order to show the other side of teachers.

Sure, we love our students, are passionate about the content we teach, but there is so much more to the people you see at the front of the classroom every day. We are #teacherswhoEXPLORE #teacherswhoEAT #teacherswhoDRINK and craft, shop, travel, eat healthy and so much more! This has been an awesome outlet to show my life with the rest of the world… the good, the bad and the ugly too!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I first started teaching, I had no clue what I was doing but I wanted to do it all perfectly. I think for teachers just getting into the classroom the most valuable lesson I learned was not to reinvent the wheel for the first few years. Lean on your colleagues for advice and help planning. Once you get your feet wet and feel more confident, put your own twist on things and most importantly…HAVE FUN! Once I started doing that I fell in love with what I do. Not to mention… summer break isn’t a bad piece either!

Women just starting out as a teacher? Speak up. When you have an opinion, share your thoughts and make your voice heard. People value your opinion, even if you may not think so yet. You’re a badass and it’s important to show your coworkers you know that!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with #TEACHERSWHO – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I teach incredible middle school kids reading and language arts. Teaching is so much more than all the content you can get through in 58 minute class periods, but also about the connections you make and the community you build with your students every single day, during passing periods and outside of the classroom. I strive to have student show their personalities, their passions and what drives them in their writing and in-class discussion.

Once I got in the groove of teaching and building relationships, I started my Instagram page #teacherswho for teachers to see that we are complicated, fascinating, multi-faceted people and there is a lot more to us than the lesson plans we write. TEACHERSWHO is my way of unwinding and having a space for other teachers to talk about their passions both in and outside of the classroom.

Who have you been inspired by?
I love Rachel Hollis and her positive, bad-ass, perspective. Her writing has a way of getting into your soul and pushing you to be the best version of yourself. Her book, “Girl Wash Your Face” had me highlighting and writing all over the margins with positive messages and reminding you of our potential with each turn of the page.

Also, Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff, the hosts of the most incredible podcast, “My Favorite Murder.” They are two of the most powerful, positive female voices wrapped in humor and adorable style. These ladies discuss a really challenging topic and bring a lightness that is needed in the world today. They have me cracking up alone in my car on the reg!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teacherswho/

Image Credit:
Megan OKelly

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