Jason is one of the lucky few who turned his hobby into a vocation.
At first we thought Jason would eventually need to leave the guitar shop for a more stable career, so he enrolled in college and studied music education for a couple years.
But business at the guitar shop was booming, and Jason has a knack for sales. His boss offered him a salaried position and the opportunity to bring in the big names like Gibson and Fender if he would make Main Street Guitars his full-time profession. It wasn't a hard decision. He has turned that shop into a huge success, and he's loving every second of it.
Meanwhile, I was gritting my teeth through the last, long year of college. I got a scholarship which helped a bit, and I genuinely enjoyed my practicum experiences. Nevertheless, teaching is not a subject to be studied from books. It's something you have to experience to understand, and I was impatient to get going.
I remember one important day in my practicum education, I was to teach an entire morning of lessons all by myself while being critically graded by an advisor. I got off to a bit of a clumsy start. My mouth was so dry from nervousness, and I had dropped something twice so far. I could feel a flush mounting, when all of a sudden, the whole school was surprised by an earthquake drill. I told the students to take cover under their desks, and I hid under mine upfront. I remember wondering if it was a real earthquake at first because my knees were knocking, but then I realized I was just shaking from the fright of my evaluation. For some reason, that minute or two under the desk gave me just enough time to steel my nerves and when I emerged, I felt in full command. I stood up straight and informed the students that there would be no nonsense as we evacuated the building. I quickly arranged the kids in two tidy rows and crisply called out orders until we were all safely outside. Boy, those kids were little angels. When we got back, I returned, now calm and confident, to my lesson. The advisor gave me a rave review, and I believe it was largely thanks to him that I was later offered my unique and wonderful student teaching position.
Instead of working in a real teacher's classroom to learn the ropes as most student teachers do, I scored an internship for an entire year where I got to act as THE teacher. I got paid half-salary to work and was left completely to my own devices. It was a totally ideal way for me to learn the basics of teaching. Baptism by fire for sure.
My first day went unexpectadly well. I felt, instead of nervous, like I was drifting in a sedated state. It was strange to feel so happy and calm. When I got home, however, I realized that my body had been fighting my nerves all day without me knowing it and I was completely, drooling dead tired. I dragged myself through the door and found this note in the center of a heart of $20 bills on the kitchen counter.
Jason had given me $200 so I could go blow off steam. Just one of COUNTLESS thoughtful gestures from my sweetheart.
My mentor absolutely hated me. She was in her thirties, and she literally would follow me around, trying to catch me doing something wrong so she could get me fired. That is the 100% truth. It was bizarre. I could think of no reason for her behavior, except that she was mentally troubled at the time. As a first year teacher, I was truly terrified that she would succeed, but I didn't know what to do.
NANNA. Nanna, Nanna, Nanna! Even her name taunts me. Everywhere I go, the Nanna's of this world follow me... I'm so sick of Nanna, I don't even want to write about her, except to say she's been tormenting me non-stop for months. I finally had a conversation with the school counselor in which I very calmly asked him who my boss was, who I should look to as mentors, etc. He seemed to get the gist of what I wasn't saying in so many words, but what I was implying. He told me I was to be a "sieve," not a "sponge." He said everyone would be on my case about how I should teach, and that I needed to sift out the bad (useless) and only keep the real jewels of advice... Then he brought Nanna up (I never mentioned her.) He said, "She really is a good teacher some of the time. But she can be very hard to work with. She's angry at the world right now." It was such a relief to hear him say that! Apparently, she's been harassing Thayne as well, which makes me really mad.
Nanna's emotions were like a pendulum that year. One minute she'd be laughing hysterically, the next she'd be crying. The only thing that remained consistent was her meanness. She announced that she was fed up with teaching at such a second-rate school and that she had multiple offers to work for the university. Then she changed her mind and claimed she was going to stay, but the administration found a way to quietly push her out. I'm not sure if she was straight-up fired, but I got hired on permanently and she... disappeared.
Life is fair sometimes.
I was encouraged when I read my student reviews in January. It built my confidence to know that the kids were happy in my classroom.
My favorite comments:
"She treats us like real people." "She likes me and knows me." "Her room smells good." "She is very funny. I remember on the first day, she was like, 'Hey! Let's watch some cat videos!'"
My family shows their support at every opportunity. Marn has given me a bouquet of flowers every first day of school since I started. She never misses. Even this year when she was 5 hours away, she had a bouquet delivered to me, just so I would know she was still there.
By the time we finally graduated, the other interns and I had already taught an entire year of school.
There's nothing like school photos to show the aging process. 2010, 2020.
I was born to teach, but I don't fully understand why. I was raised in a time when it was clearly understood among members of my church that a woman should only work if necessary. Yet, through various blessings and answers to prayer, I continually felt a gentle push to pursue a career. So I often was conflicted about my choice, as it was strangely in contrast to the ideology of my religion at the time, and even caused occasional disagreements among my more conservative family members and friends. I can't explain or defend my choice except to say that it felt right for me. I also deeply respect stay at home moms. As a teacher, I think I appreciate their necessity in our society more than perhaps anyone else. My unique perspective on what makes a community work has taught me how important diversity is in maintaining order and balance in our lives. I reverence the sacrifice those mothers make, and what they accomplish with their profound talents and intelligence.
How did you decide on your career? Tell us about it in the comments! WBS- Jess
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