A Fresh Start

Springtime is often accompanied by a feeling of renewal. It is when life sprouts from what was once dormant and a time of new growth begins.

August is not usually thought of that way, but it may be when people are more likely to enter a period of change than any other time of the year. It is true for school-aged children. The first days of school are filled with anxious expectation and excitement. New classmates and teachers, different classrooms and maybe even schools. At that age, twists and turns in life are common. Often the students are able to roll with the rapid shifts that occur more easily than the parents, because as we grow older, we settle into relationships and routines. We seek out stability to provide structure for the lives of those we love and care for. As a result, it becomes more challenging to turn in a new direction.

Yet there are many reasons that we should.

You could think of the adage of “no pain, no gain.” It applies to our intellectual growth as much as our physical development. Learning can be fun, and it is wonderful when it is, but sometimes pushing your skill set to the next level will be a challenge nonetheless. Don’t shy away from the opportunity. I have never heard anyone say that they wished they had not tried to learn something new. Even if it doesn’t work out as expected, you will still gain. The lesson you learn may be different than what you had hoped for, but you will have a takeaway. You will know more than if you never tried.<

Whatever you learn, share it with others. I always found art and language classes to be the ones where I had to work my hardest just to keep up. It never came easy, but that experience informed how I taught mathematics and science.& When a student was struggling in my class, I thought about what I did to overcome the obstacles in the subjects that did not come naturally to me. Pushing yourself to learn something new will not only benefit you. It will help others in ways that you can’t imagine today.

You are a model for the others around you. For those you care for, for those with whom you work, and for those you happen to meet at the store or at church. A fleeting conversation can have an effect for years to come. One of my friends once said offhandedly in a conversation that he thought I would be a good teacher. While I still do not know why, that remark stayed with me and took root. Three years later I entered a teacher preparation program, leading to more than three decades in education so far.

There is no better time than now to begin, especially at SENMC. The close of the summer semester will end our last connections with New Mexico State University.& This fall our learning management system and our student information system will be ours alone. We have spent nearly two years in a careful redesign of how we will serve our students as an independent higher education institution. Whether this is your first semester or whether you are returning to us after previously being a student of NMSU-Carlsbad, you will be the student of a new college. Your SENMC GPA will not include your previous coursework with us unless you request it. You too will have the opportunity for a fresh start.

Wishing you all the best in your August educational journeys, wherever they may take you.

Kevin Beardmore may be reached at kbeardmore@senmc.edu or 575.234.9211.