When people ask why I became a teacher, I sometimes am struck speechless. Those of you who know me well are probably thinking, "Speechless? Yeah right!" Hear me out on this one. For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher. Sure, there was a time in 3rd or 4th grade when my top three career choices (in no particular order) were: lawyer, secretary, teacher. Underlying all of those were to also be a mom. Having had a mother who was a teacher before and after having us four kids (once she did return to work), it never dawned on me that I couldn't have children with my husband while also pursuing an occupation in which I was so passionate about...but again, having grown up with a mother, and to an extent, a maternal grandmother and also an aunt, who had the same schedule as her children, it was almost assumed on my part that this is how I would want to do it too when the time came to have both children and a job. I'm really lucky now, at the higher education level, that I am afforded some more flexibility (being on campus 3 days a week) than when I was teaching school-age Monday through Friday from the start of the school day to the end of it. So back to the "Why did you become a teacher?" question. I always knew I wanted to do something with children in the future as is evident from the years and years of babysitting, coaching, volunteering, daycare providing, mentoring, camp counseling, student teaching, and finally teaching of all ages and ability levels. If I wasn't a teacher, I would probably work in some sort of babysitting or daycare provider service (Hello Babysitter's Club books from elementary school!) or some other sort of caretaking service. I don't think I have what it takes to be a nurse (way too squeamish around needles, blood, and other bodily fluids) but my hat is off to you who are in the profession!
Some of the biggest influences in my life (other than my parents) are thanks to teachers. From Ms. Bednar (5th grade) to Miss Brown (9th/12th grade English/Journalism) to Drs. Klein and Compton at the higher education level, I know the kind of teacher I strive to be. At first, I thought I just wanted to be a preschool teacher but quickly learned during my student teaching placement 13 years ago, that I enjoyed the older children too. After my time at IUP, where I obtained my undergrad degree, a seed was planted in wanting to emulate Dr. Klein someday. My advisor and well-respected professor for many of my classes within my small major of Education of Persons with Hearing Loss at my university, left quite an impression. I thought to myself, someday a long time from now, after I retire, and the kids (meaning my own) are grown, I will go back to school, get my doctorate, and finish out my teaching career as a gray haired professor sharing from all my years and years of teaching. That was my plan back then at any rate. My second teaching job after college that brought me back to my beloved home state of Pennsylvania led me to York and found me working with all ages/grade levels/ability levels but I was particularly drawn to 5th grade and the middle school grades. Then, over time, as I acquired my Master's degree, I felt settled and had the time to really work on perfecting my craft. Don't get me wrong, I'm not and never will be perfect but I do cherish the seven years I had of teaching with LIU #12 in York and Adams Counties because I gained so much experience and have grown from the relationships formed from my time there in so many ways that are still manifesting themselves now five years after I have departed from that organization. The reason I left in Fall 2010 was because I was given the opportunity to get a head start on the PhD while my hair was still not gray (well most of it anyway) and long before there were my own kids or a husband was in the picture for that matter. Eight years of teaching in the "real world" pales compared to my expectation of a life-long career before retiring to go back to school to begin working on the PhD. Remember, people plan, God laughs, so just wing it! ; ) Once I let go of what I thought were my plans to follow God's will, I found myself in North Carolina of all places!
Fast forward to today, Fall 2015, as I have embarked on my second year of teaching at the higher ed. level with a husband, two furry babies, and whatever else is in store for our growing family as it is all in God's timing. Why am I doing what I'm doing? Last week, on Marathon Monday, I was reminded of the answer. Mondays are already pretty challenging enough in that well, they're Mondays. Second, I teach all four of my classes on that day meaning I leave for campus around 9am or so and don't finish teaching until 8:40pm followed by Adoration from 9 - 10pm then possibly dinner before I'm home by say 11ish. Yes, Mondays take a lot out of me but then I get to finish by 5:15pm on Wednesdays and a whopping early time of 2pm on Fridays so each semester I say I'll put up with this schedule one more time and then again...and again...and again. So in the midst of a crazy busy Monday last week, I wound up counseling three students after one of my classes in the classroom over disappointing test grades to the tune of "I didn't study because......" Then, in my office after class, I spoke with two other students individually who were equally upset with their performance. Once the afternoon arrived, things had calmed down somewhat before a student unexpectedly knocked on my door and ended up visiting with me in my office for 45 minutes. Finally, a former student swung by in the evening between my night classes looking for advice on student teaching and motivating her students.
Yes, in this one day, conversations ranged from study techniques and habits that were or were not successful, what we can do differently, working styles, collaborating and communicating with others, how to live our faith in difficult times especially when society or others will hate us for it, navigating friendships/the waters during these turbulent times of political vs. religious times, prayer, family issues, missing home/being so far from the familiar, wondering what God's will is, not giving up on dreams in spite of hurdles/poor test scores, and following our calling. I joked with Adam when I got home that night that I felt like I was either in Confession or counseling all day as I administered to these various students and their needs. This is why I'm here. This is why we ended up in the Mid-West and not in California (for now). This is why I wasn't able to go back to York (my home away from home that I so desperately tried to cling on to) and this is why I'm in teaching. I want to make a difference in any small way I can. I want to help others and to grow and learn from my students and those I work with each day. I want to continue reaching out to the children in our future and right now am doing that through the teachers who will soon be welcoming them into their classrooms. This is why I sometimes don't know where to start when trying to answer that question. I was born to do it. Teaching, which borrows traits from other professions, encompasses so much. We also can't forget our first teachers: our caregivers/parents!! I want to be that nurturing mother figure as Dr. Compton was for me. I want to be the no holds barred tell it like it is yet respected professionally kinda professor Dr. Klein was for so many of us at IUP. I want to be the kind, passionate, and dare I say it quirky yet firm teacher Ms. Brown was in high school who also lived out her faith in spite of teaching in a public school and lastly, I want to know my students in a meaningful and up close and personal type way as Ms. Bednar did for us as 5th graders. Plus, she wore cool outfits and was pretty. What? These things matter when you're a girl and the only girl at that in your family or did for me anyway. So, you know what? Bring on tomorrow's Marathon Monday!
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| One of my favorite spots on campus! |
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