Everyone always asked me a question as I grew up. It's the same one you heard I'm sure..at least once a year on career day anyway. "What do you want to be went you grow up?" Well.. it was a few different things based on my grade level; a judge in 1st (I'm sure my 1st born characteristics weren't at play here), a vet in 2nd (after witnessing the grisly death of my box turtle being crushed by a van), a geologist (digging in dirt was fun in 3rd grade?), a lawyer in 6th (so I could sue people, you understand.. my sense of justice was not to be trifled with) but finally, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher when I was in 7th grade.
Teaching has since become a passion I've possessed since the fateful day I decided, "it might be pretty cool." Some people wait years to figure out what God has called them to, or figure out what things excite them, but I have been so blessed to have such clear direction in my life.
As I progressed through college, God started to speak to me about the public education system. I grew up going to small Christian schools and I was even attending a Bible college, for Pete's sake, but He gave me experiences and put me in places to show me where I could begin to to pour into children's lives. I volunteered in a 2nd grade classroom while I was a freshman and saw how the kids in the classroom really needed a teacher that could love them. Unfortunately, one of the teachers I was working with didn't seem to show much kindness to her students, nothing outrageous, just a harsh tone that enforced any negative voices the child was hearing in his own mind. That was when I decided that I wanted to be the teacher that could show those students the kindness that they needed so much--as students spend a great amount of their childhood with the person that teaches them in school. And so I continued through, graduated and then pursued my state certification to ensure I would be able to teach in the public school system. I have seen and worked with so many phenomenal teachers that have shown me beautiful examples of what it means to unconditionally love and teach a class full of bright eyed, tender-hearted, impressionable, and eager-to-learn pupils. I owe so much to those teachers that invested their time and made sacrifices to give me a good education. Those teachers have inspired me to pursue my dreams, change a life, make a difference, and give my love away without a second thought.
As Jonathan and I begin a new life in Hawaii, I look forward with earnest elation to the opportunity of beginning more than just a career, but my calling into the field of teaching and shaping a nation.
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| Some of the glory days..mom's gonna cry when she sees this..seriously.. |
Teaching has since become a passion I've possessed since the fateful day I decided, "it might be pretty cool." Some people wait years to figure out what God has called them to, or figure out what things excite them, but I have been so blessed to have such clear direction in my life.
As I progressed through college, God started to speak to me about the public education system. I grew up going to small Christian schools and I was even attending a Bible college, for Pete's sake, but He gave me experiences and put me in places to show me where I could begin to to pour into children's lives. I volunteered in a 2nd grade classroom while I was a freshman and saw how the kids in the classroom really needed a teacher that could love them. Unfortunately, one of the teachers I was working with didn't seem to show much kindness to her students, nothing outrageous, just a harsh tone that enforced any negative voices the child was hearing in his own mind. That was when I decided that I wanted to be the teacher that could show those students the kindness that they needed so much--as students spend a great amount of their childhood with the person that teaches them in school. And so I continued through, graduated and then pursued my state certification to ensure I would be able to teach in the public school system. I have seen and worked with so many phenomenal teachers that have shown me beautiful examples of what it means to unconditionally love and teach a class full of bright eyed, tender-hearted, impressionable, and eager-to-learn pupils. I owe so much to those teachers that invested their time and made sacrifices to give me a good education. Those teachers have inspired me to pursue my dreams, change a life, make a difference, and give my love away without a second thought.
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