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.
