I was speaking to a mentor of mine a couple months ago for a masters degree assignment learning about their background. Something that surprised me was how despite all of the accolades under their belt, how "messy" their path was to get there.

I am a young teacher, but I wonder how many directors that could describe? How many great teachers out there have gotten 2s,3s,or even lower? How many have been close to leaving the profession before they "hit it big", or even *did*, leave the profession?

This is a tough profession sometimes, and maybe it's just me, but there are a lot of times I feel woefully inadequate. It is encouraging to me to hear when the top educators in my field have felt (or still feel) this same way. That there is still hope for the average teacher. I think it starts with being more open about these things.

Does anyone else feel this way? I feel like a roundtable clinic hearing about the humble beginnings of the leaders in our profession can help provide perspective.