By Nancy Snipes Mosley, Wake County Teacher
Women of my generation all fondly remember pretending to be Wonder Woman when we were little girls, spinning around like Lynda Carter in our Underoos. For that moment, we could be both princess and hero. With her recent resurgence into our popular culture, I have acquired new Wonder Woman swag from my family. Some days, I look at myself wearing Wonder Woman PJs in the mirror and think, “Well, this is ironic. I don’t feel like a strong role model, a source of inspiration and power. I feel tired and stressed and hooked on caffeine.” What’s the big deal about Wonder Woman, anyway? She’s warrior and diplomat, goddess and human. She’s strong-willed and compassionate, with an unwavering moral compass. She does have some vulnerability and has suffered loss, but her willingness to make sacrifices for the common good keeps her strong and focused on her mission. But can she get teenagers to understand the Electoral College, navigate the red tape of organizing an overnight field trip, check a big stack of essays for plagiarism, feed a family of picky eaters, coordinate the sports schedules of a young gymnast and baseball player, and help them both with their homework before bedtime? Let’s see how Wonder Woman and teachers really compare:
Teachers aren’t superheroes, but they have power to be strong role models for young people. This means showing them what it means to listen to others while also speaking up for yourself. Serving the community while also taking care of your own needs. Bearing your responsibilities while also staying in control of your life. Doing what is best for your own family and other families too. So, go ahead and wear that Wonder Woman symbol with pride. Let it be a reminder that we do something heroic when we take care of the next generation, and that we must be strong enough to demand what we need for the job. If you don’t have anything with the WWs emblazoned on it, any red shirt will do.
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