I am now an employed full-time high school English teacher!!
I am ecstatic with the current state my life is in. The past few years have presented numerous obstacles, if you know me then you are fully aware of the roadblocks I encountered on my way to becoming a teacher: Maybe you were there when I decided to re-route my initial career decision and go back to college for a second, completely different degree. Or maybe you were there when I was I diagnosed with Chronic Mono and told to stay on bed rest for months at time while still completing my 18 credit hour semester (yep, dean’s list). You could have been there a couple months later, at the start of my 5 summer courses spanning across 3 colleges, when my appendix burst requiring emergency surgery and putting me back out of commission (yep, dean’s list again). I had enough for one year right? Wrong. A broken ankle/foot placing me on crutches for the first 2 months of my student teaching (during a Cleveland winter), was still in store for me. Maybe you held the door for me, carried my things, made dinner, gave me words of encouragement, or did anything that required standing/walking for me. Finally healthy again for the home stretch, yes, finally. In order to cap off the most grueling 2 years of my life- I was required to go to work every day, put in 50 hours a week, then come home and grade, make up tests, lesson plans, etc. duties of a teacher- for FREE, all while continuing to pay the $7,000 in tuition per semester my college charged. As they so delicately imbedded into our minds, we have been given not only the opportunity, but also the privilege to pay for school, while doing someone else’s daily work who actually is getting paid, all to make the second lowest salary in a profession across America.
Who would want to go through that? Me, and millions of other teachers out there. I would re-live each and every moment, obstacle, and triumph to be where I am today. I want to thank everyone that has taken a ride on this journey with me, whether major or minor, I want to say that I cannot thank you enough for your support, advice and encouragement. I will be forever grateful.
Thank you for never giving up on me or letting me give up on myself, I love you.
Congratulations!! What a story - much deserved, Ashley.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Much deserved after such a wild ride!
ReplyDeleteThank you both! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first teaching job! I've taught for 12 years and let me tell you the wild ride has just begun!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
Congratulations!
ReplyDeletePlease keep us posted!
Thanks! I believe it,haha! I will definitely keep you posted!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I just started reading your blog, but I'm so happy to see that there are still new teachers out there who want to do this job and are as passionate about it as I am. Every once in a while, someone will tell me I should look at doing something else that pays more or isn't as maligned as teaching is right now. Teaching is not just a job. It's a calling, a lifestyle and a love.
ReplyDeleteVery well put! Thanks Julie!
ReplyDeleteAshley! Congrats on the teaching job. Very exciting. I am actually stopping by your blog to let you know that you won the Flex Family Arts giveaway on my blog. I'm glad a fellow teacher won the giveaway. You deserve it. Contact me for Amanda's email address:
ReplyDeletecourtney.hendricks@gmail.com.
I love that you said you would do it all again to be where you are, we need more teachers like you who truly love it so much that they go through what you went through and not give up!
ReplyDeleteCongrats!