I am beginning my fifth official year as a professional educator. However, my development of the craft of teaching began even before I was an undergraduate at the University of Alabama. I have known I wanted to be a teacher since I was five years old.
This picture was taken during the fall of my first grade year. My mom was the library media specialist at my elementary school. This is a picture of me in my second year of knowing I wanted to teach. I had no idea what Title 1 was, NCLB was not even in existence, and all I cared about was surviving the Oregon Trail on the Apple IIe. Education was fun. Education was great! I got to write, think, play, and share with my teachers and classmates.
Teaching is in my blood. I am a fourth generation teacher. My great great Aunt Malzie was a school teacher. My grandmother Ruth was a school teacher. My mom was a school teacher and is now a library media specialist. She even spent her teacher of the year money on my new tap shoes in 1992. That is love.
Five years in and I have no regrets. This is what I've always wanted to do. Teaching is truly a calling, not a job. I am thankful for all of the educators who have encouraged me and influenced me along the way. With Mrs. Boone in 8th grade, I would not have learned to love reading again. Without Mrs. Stough in 12th grade, I would not have had a class that fueled my passion for literature. Without Mrs. Harden in 10th grade, I would not have had a teacher that I connected with as well as content I loved. She encouraged me as a student even if I could not conjugate the verb, correctly pronounce the sentence, or stumbled in a task. She spurred me on to love French. I would not be who I am as an educator without the influence of other educators throughout my life. Your impact on me encourages me to give my best each day for the sake of learning.
So keep impacting. You may never know what kind of imprint you leave on someone. My ten year reunion was last weekend and I still remember butting heads with Madame Thomas. Classmates and I also reminisced about Mrs. Quinn, the most difficult English teacher on the planet who taught them to write so well. Teachers have an incredible influence on students. We spend more time with students during a day than some parents do. How are you spending that time? Are you giving life or taking it? How can this year be the best one? Try something new. That one new thing could be the spark that inspires a child to become a teacher, even in kindergarten.
Teaching is in my blood. I am a fourth generation teacher. My great great Aunt Malzie was a school teacher. My grandmother Ruth was a school teacher. My mom was a school teacher and is now a library media specialist. She even spent her teacher of the year money on my new tap shoes in 1992. That is love.
Five years in and I have no regrets. This is what I've always wanted to do. Teaching is truly a calling, not a job. I am thankful for all of the educators who have encouraged me and influenced me along the way. With Mrs. Boone in 8th grade, I would not have learned to love reading again. Without Mrs. Stough in 12th grade, I would not have had a class that fueled my passion for literature. Without Mrs. Harden in 10th grade, I would not have had a teacher that I connected with as well as content I loved. She encouraged me as a student even if I could not conjugate the verb, correctly pronounce the sentence, or stumbled in a task. She spurred me on to love French. I would not be who I am as an educator without the influence of other educators throughout my life. Your impact on me encourages me to give my best each day for the sake of learning.
So keep impacting. You may never know what kind of imprint you leave on someone. My ten year reunion was last weekend and I still remember butting heads with Madame Thomas. Classmates and I also reminisced about Mrs. Quinn, the most difficult English teacher on the planet who taught them to write so well. Teachers have an incredible influence on students. We spend more time with students during a day than some parents do. How are you spending that time? Are you giving life or taking it? How can this year be the best one? Try something new. That one new thing could be the spark that inspires a child to become a teacher, even in kindergarten.