When I was younger I never had an answer to the question of what do you want to be when you grow up. My main thought was I'm 7 (or 10 or 13) I'm pretty sure I have time to decide but I can't think or plan that far ahead. In high school I wanted to be a pastry chef, FBI agent, marine biologist. I went off to college majoring in Criminal Justice. After a semester I went undecided and spent a year and a half taking a hodge podge of courses that were a lot of fun and while they were interesting, they weren't something I ever committed to. Then I finally got it, I wanted to teach - I enjoy the little people so let's go spark a mind. I sat in senior seminar and when asked by Dr. Summers where did I see myself in 5 years? 10 years? My first thought was the same as always - I can't plan that far ahead. My second thought was in the classroom. I never wanted out, never wanted to reach for administration. I got certified and began teaching. I taught for 6 years to little people (1st & 2nd grade), tiny people (Kindergarten & Pre-K), and even medium people (3-5 grade). I spent time out of the classroom to reboot and figure out if it's where I do belong. Turns out the only one who needed to figure that out was me - everyone else knew it's where I was supposed to be. I have since been settled pretty happily with little people (2nd grade to be specific). There was a rough year but I thought the summer was my chance to reboot, reflect and revise (the usual 3 R's of the summer for a teacher). Within the past week I have found out that I will not be going back to the little people. I now will be teaching art (something that never, ever was a thought of a possibility that I might do when it came to teaching) and working with the administration on more than a few things. Things that I never imagined or were in the bigger picture. However as I switched gears after spending 2 months getting ready for a new crew of little people, I found I now need to prepare for a subject I had never taught before for not only little people, but also tiny people, medium people, big people (middle school) and tall people (high school). I've been handed a piece of our schools scheduling, fundraisers, working on the school's accreditation, and whatever else is needed to assist our school's principal (who is awesome). I never dreamed of this scenario, it was not in the equation. There was a period of shock but I needed to very quickly come to terms that we won't get enough second graders to require 2 classes and that means come August 24 I needed to have a plan, so I started planning. And as I started planning and organizing I realized I was getting excited. It wasn't my plan, it had to be God's plan. There is a reason that this is my new role. I've always liked to think of myself as a positive person so I decided I'm going to keep positive. I also owe a great deal of that to the great support of my husband, my favorite friend and co-worker, and my principal. So I've come from a place when I was a little person of having no clue what I wanted to be to a place where I'm doing something I never dreamed I ever would or could be. I'm not a Van Gogh but I love fonts, color, and it's making my creativity flow. So here is to new beginnings and places that were never dreamed of. If we can now see the dark side of the moon then yes, I can be an art teacher. I hope all teachers are getting ready with hope and open minds & hearts.
