Little Miss Teacher

S.O.L. #20/31

All I have ever done is take care of and teach children.  Even as a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. .  I was set up to teach too.  With a desk and all the office supplies you could dream of, I had classroom in every room of our house.  I even had a  huge 6 ft chalkboard with the uppercase alphabet strung across the top of it in  alternating primary colors. Having  14+ nieces and nephews I always had someone to be my student.  

When I was a middle schooler, my mom ran a daycare at the local bowling alley.  Since it was after the school day, in the evenings, I went to work with her often and was eager to be a “teacher” to those young children.  My mom claims I stood up on the table to create my own stage to entertain/teach all of the kids.

My very first job, right out of high school, was teaching 2 year olds at a local daycare. I loved it!! (all but the diaper changing:) It was here that my desire to become a teacher solidified.  Those precious little ones were sponges eager to absorb anything I put before them.  They mimicked all of my fingerplays and songs. They mastered their alphabet and listened intently as I read tons of picture books (the local library was next door) to them.  I realized my impact on little lives and knew that teaching is what I wanted to do.  I narrowed my college focus to elementary education.  Then reluctantly left my precious little ones at daycare to enter the school setting in order to determine if I was really cut out to handle elementary aged children.  I accepted a position in a school district as leader of the before and after school child care program.  I  attended college during the day and worked  with the school agers before and after school.   I loved it as well!! I took part in planning and preparing  many fun crafty projects to kept the kids busy, engaged and having fun after-school.   The program ran all day during the summers too.  So we went on my many field trips to lots of interesting places.  I soon recognised that I could handle the logistics and leadership of being in charge of 100+ students.  I truly enjoyed my experiences and  being with kids each and everyday!

Soon I graduated and  worked with two master teachers as a paraprofessional until I finally received a position teaching 4th graders!! That was 13 years ago and I am still with my fourth graders at the same school!!! Guess I am not smarter than a 5th grader!! I love teaching. Learning and Children are my passion.  It is also the only thing I know! Hope I never have to get a “real job”! I love my students!!!