Why teach?
I believe teaching is a life choice because when one chooses to teach one chooses to learn and grow every single day. Despite the fact that I have been teaching for many years, I have not yet reached that place where I feel like, "Okay, I have finally figured it all out." Here is to continual growth and joy that comes from knowing that I have to put my best foot forward again and again and again because I can't not. I teach.
I love to garden. My yard looks a bit like a forest because I keep planting new plants wherever they need to be. YIKES. This approach to gardening is reflected in my teaching, too. For example, every new plant has different needs that I must acknowledge and act on if I want them to thrive. When they don't thrive I have to observe them closely and change their growing conditions. Sometimes this cycle has to repeat several times until the plant makes it. I never get bored with it.
Teaching is like that for me. My garden is full of plants. And, I do mean FULL. ☺ They live and thrive together, but each unique plant requires care and attention. My garden may not look like your garden and my class may not look like your class. Unique.
Just like a class full of students. Get it?
I began my career by fulfilling my dream of teaching kindergarten. I loved every single second of those first six years. Each day and each child taught me more than I could ever have imagined. And I thought I was there to teach them. Huh... 🤔
First grade in a large urban district revealed to me my passion for literacy teaching/learning. I wanted to learn more through real research about how to teach students to read and write. What an adventure working through a master's and doctoral work was for me. Wonderful. Life-changing.
Middle school opened even more doors for me. If anyone ever tells you that 7th and 8th graders are not wonderful, goofy and challenging to work with they are fibbing to you.
Then, I landed here at TXST university. A dream job. In fact, I remember as a young undergrad looking at my favorite professor and daydreaming, "I want to be you when I grow up." It is powerful to reflect on how that dream was actually manifested in my life. Mind-boggling. I am now happily doing the same sort of work she did.
Also, you should see a photo of my puppy Socks. I will find a way to work him into the conversation about teaching sometime soon.
