Meet Our Writer
Meet Our Writer …
Maryann Reid
M
aryann Reid is an award
winning author, speaker and
commentator from New
York. She has been teaching
(on and off) at the college level for the
past 12 years.
Prior to her becoming a teacher,
St Martin Press published her first
book and this led to her receiving
numerous requests to conduct writing
workshops. She completed her MFA
and later embarked on a career that
incorporates writing, teaching and
publishing.
Since then, she has published 6 books
and taught in the United States and
the United Arab Emirates.
Her latest novel, This Life, a fictional
tale that follows the life experiences
of a heroine and focuses on
empowerment, was published in 2014.
Today, Maryann is focusing on
publishing other authors, providing
personal coaching, writing a memoir
and personal essays.
How has being an educator
helped you in your personal
and professional life?
Being a teacher has helped me to
be a better listener. Teachers are
in a position of authority. At times,
this can lead to a feeling of always
wanting to be in control. Additionally,
this is sometimes fuelled by a fear of
‘not being heard’. By being a better
listener, teachers are opting for a
less combative and more subtle
way to control what happens in
the classroom. This is important to
personal relationships as well because
it leads to you being a better friend
and person in general.
Your Teach UAE Magazine
articles provide educators
with many useful and smart
ideas to stay healthy, happy
and focused... why are these
things crucial to teachers?
Balance is very important, especially
because teachers have a very
demanding job. For teachers who are
teaching in the UAE or another foreign
country, there are a lot of changes and
adjustments that they have to make.
However, good health and remaining
focused are necessary to having the
right balance. Altogether, good health
and focus allow us to address parts of
ourselves that we sometimes forget
to deal with. Each day, teachers give a
bit of themselves away. It is important
that we remember that our jobs do
not define us and that we cultivate
our inner resources. Jobs will change.
Everything in life is temporary. When
we appreciate this, we are not as
attached to outcomes.
Do you have any words of
support for educators who
may be considering a change
in career?
Follow your dreams. Find the energy
Secondly, teaching teaches patience.
Our students are great at teaching
us patience. At times, we want things
to go really quickly. However, some
things happen at a different pace,
which means that we have to pace
ourselves. When we accept that things
won’t always go according to how
we want it, it helps us to be better
prepared both professionally and in
our personal lives.
50 | Sep - Oct 2015 |
|
After The Bell
to do the things that you like to do
and start working on them now. This
may mean that you might have to
wake up a b