Roberta BenjaminEdwards

I would say watching the people that I developed as leaders bloom and take over the educational world is what really thrills me the most. Seeing the leaders we've placed in Southern California doing wonderful work in schools gives me such pride. For instance, just a week ago, I went to a new school opening where one of my former principals, who I supervised at Aspire when I was superintendent, is now CEO of an up-and-coming charter management organization. Watching her and others I've worked with turn these neighborhoods into wonderful school places for the kids of LA was such an exciting feeling. It's a nice part of my life when I get to see all the rewards - not everybody gets to see that. The work brings me much more than I give them. It's enhanced my life more than I can tell you.

My boss when I was a principal, who I loved and who was inspirational and brilliant, was starting a doctoral program and said 'why don't you think about it?' I never thought I'd be interested in getting a doctorate, but it was the best decision I ever made. It was such a wonderful learning experience because the dean happened to be really brilliant and futuristic. This was mid-90s, and I still use a lot of what I learned in the program. After that was over, it was kind of like a hole - I was used to going, writing and going to school - so then I thought, well, I'll start teaching. That advice to pursue my doctorate opened up a whole new dimension of my career, allowing me to teach future leaders and continue learning, which I love.

I tell the students, you're going into the greatest profession in the world. You may not be paid as much as basketball players or famous people who do things, and you should - a good teacher should be making a whole hell of a lot more money. But if you think back on your own life, the teachers that you still remember, I still remember the wonderful teachers I had that shaped certain parts of me. And so does everybody. It makes you feel seen, you know? It's really important. There's nothing like the beautiful work of a great teacher. Going to a classroom that is just a beautiful, safe, and wonderful place for young people to begin to develop - that's what it's all about. Especially these days, so many kids come with trauma, so creating that safe space is critical.

So many kids come with trauma these days, which makes the work of a great teacher even more important. While our country is going to hell, if you'll excuse the expression, being on a school site gives me hope. Seeing a brand new group of teachers and knowing that the profession is still attracting good people gives me oxygen. And then seeing the kids - it's what keeps me going. The challenge is that we have so many scared families, especially in the southwestern United States right now. But the opportunity is that we're still developing wonderful leaders and teachers who want to work in their neighborhoods and change lives, especially at places like Cal State Dominguez Hills, which has a very diverse student population with a social justice-oriented mission.

I believe strongly in community building, which I do a lot of in my teaching and give lots of resources to students about. I love thinking out of the box - when I was at LAUSD, I found it strange that there was so much fear and people were afraid to think out of the box. Social justice is down my path, which is why I love Cal State Dominguez Hills with its social justice-oriented mission. The students there really want to work in their neighborhoods and change lives. I owe a lot to my parents, who were Holocaust survivors - my dad was an artist and a photographer, and I think I inherited just a love for beauty and art. I put that into my classrooms in terms of the slides I make and creating beautiful images for students. That's where I get my artistic fulfillment. Creating beautiful, safe, wonderful places for young people to develop is what drives me.