Twenty nine years ago, I began teaching in public schools. I had previously been an "early childhood" teacher and administrator of a Christian day care but when I moved from Minnesota back to FL, I needed more money than churches were willing to pay and "your crown will be in heaven" did not pay the bills. My mom had nagged and nagged for me to come back to FL where "there are plenty of jobs here!"... so when I got home and a friend said she could get me into a school as an assistant.... well it was a foot in the door.... and that door stayed on my foot until now. I have taught at the same school all these years, pouring into it my blood, sweat, and tears, along with my paycheck (to buy supplies, books, etc)
Why did I enter the wonderful world of teaching???? I was kind of "forced" into it. I had been a nurse for many years as a LPN but had decided to return to college to get my BSN and be a missionary nurse. During my summer break after my first semester, I injured my back working in the hospital and was told it was a choice: surgery vs giving up nursing. NO ONE was going to touch my spine... so after my back healed, I returned to college and changed my major to Christian Education. My mother was very upset. She wanted me to be a nurse; stay at a job making $4.00/hour because "what can you do with a degree in Christian Education?". In fact she was so angry that when I moved to MN for college, she refused to speak to me.
OH Well..water under the bridge.
I began working at Palmetto Elementary School April 14, 1984 as an instructional assistant to the teacher of first grade and a teacher of 4th grade and the Gifted Program. At the end of the year, I was offered the position for the next yr as well. I loved working with the kids, and the teachers I worked with were extraordinary!!!!! Before the end of this yr the principal asked me to interview as a 2nd grade teacher. All my paperwork was finally completed with the district and the teachers with whom I had worked, gave me wonderful reports and evaluations.
If I had to judge teaching by my first year, I would have quit and become an ostrich and kept my head in the sand forever. My "dream teacher" image for myself was on who always wore a dress and heels, never raised her voice and all children were gifted and talented....WELL... The dress and heels lasted 1 wks. In FL it is too hot to wear nylons and I did... and got a rip roaring infection on my thighs. I was going to call my grandma to tell her about my first wk but I was so tired, I went to bed. I wish I had called because the next day she had an abdomnal aortic aneurysm and died. I never got to tell her how much she inspired me and encouraged me.
The kids came to school and I fell in love. Some of the kids were ones I had the previous year in first grade. They knew me and I loved them. We did all kinds of neat things and were in the newspaper for our efforts. In October, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had known about it 3 yrs but because of fear, she never went back to the dr until it was late in the "game" for her. She had a mastectomy and I helped take care of her. Then I got the flu 3 times and was out of work 3 wks. I finally got over it and returned to work, in time for Christmas (winter holidays) but in January, my dad had to have triple bypass surgery in Miami. He went through surgery well, but it was still fairly new. He was in Miami so every day after work, mom and I drove t Mt. Sinai Hospital. He could not walk without his blood pressure dropping. He ended up in the hospital 6 wks!!! January that year, a teacher from the U.S. was going into space with the crew of the Challenger. My entire class went outside to watch the "blast off" and became spectators of the Challenger blowing up. We returned to the classroom and had deep discussions about if the astronauts were alive or not and then "Why can't we pray in school?" These were very bright children. From the end of February until May things were fairly calm. May 18, my roommate and I were "dog sitting" for my brother's dogs and his and his wife's home. In the middle of the night, I got up to let the dogs inside because they would not stop barking. I forgot about the door alarm and it went off with bells, clangs, and whistles. When I ran to the foyer to punch in the password, which I could not remember, the sliding glass door shattered on me. I was in the hospital for a wk and then on bedrest for another week. I was allowed back to school on the condition I did NOTHING to pack my room for the summer. My principal asked me how I enjoyed teaching and if I wanted to continue teaching.... I said this had not been a good year, but I loved the kids, I loved what I did, and I thought I needed to give it another chance. Twenty nine years later.... here I am.
BUT what kept me doing what I did? Believe me, it was not for the paycheck. Most of my pay went into buying books for my kids to read independently in school or buying soap, paper towels, kleenex, and regular school supplies for the kids to use. They brought in their own supplies when I first began teaching but since I have been an ELL teacher (resource/ancillary teacher) I was not allowed to ask kids to bring in supplies. I also did not get classroom books that the "regular teachers" had to have. I bought many memberships online for ideas, templates, etc. We did fine but not my wallet.
I loved the kids... ALWAYS..... I loved the kids, though there were some I was glad to see go to another teacher for the next year. Most of my kids were gems... maybe not the brightest but always talented and gifted in their own way. I had always hated school, so I had decided when I taught that first year that the kids were going to love coming to school because I was going to be the kind of teacher who made learning fun and exciting.
Over the next 29 yrs, I have "out lasted" about a dozen principals and assistant principals...some good... some not so good, but I always tried to be honest and friendly, even if I did not appreciate some of the things they did. I have also seen teaching go from creative teaching; discovering knowledge to the point it is now.. teaching so the kids can pass a test every year. That is not teaching in my mind.
I have always tried to make learning fun; laughing, singing, dancing, but always learning. June 7, 2013 I say goodbye to my classes for the last time. I am retiring. I love teaching. I really love the kids!!!! I will miss both!!!! I will not miss the governmental input into public schools where are now all about making money.
It is time for my life: my health; my relaxation; my traveling; and my love. It is a new beginning but I will miss this career, which I never wanted to do. Thank God He changed my mind.