My teaching journey!!

As a brand new blogger there are TONS of things I'm ready to write about. I could go for days on crazy events in my life. But tonight my heart feels so full from the blessings my career path has recieved. I have trouble even calling teaching a career because it's really more of a passion than a job or career. 

Amazing amazing amazing things have happene to me thus far in my teaching career. I started off in college as a broadcast major. That's right, I was the next Hoda. I could totally see myself on tv looking like my childhood news anchor, Amy Watson. However, once I got into the major, and a very loving, caring professor told me I talk way too fast and use my hands way too much. She didn't tell me I wouldn't succeed, but she did tell me I had a lot of work to do. And that I would have to cut my hair because it was out of control. Ha!!! Sooooo needless to say I moved on. 

I always had the desire to teach in the back of my head. I swear to this day that my 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Dannenmueller changed my life. I was THE UGLIEST 3rd grader alive. I had a bowl cut and an AWFUL wardrobe. I know this because I have seen pictures (and my sisters remind me often). However, I remember Mrs. D making me feel like I was the prettiest girl that had ever walked in her room. She would take me across the hall to Mrs. Purdom's room and say "did you see how cute Megan looks today?" In hindsight, it might have been an inside joke with them, but it didn't matter to me! Anyway, I have always wanted to make a difference in someone's life like Mrs. D did in mine. I just didn't think I had what it took. Or the financial budgeting techniques to have a teaching job. Ha! 

Needless to say, I went into elementary education! 

I started working the after school program. When I first applied, they weren't hiring. Then I got a call from Erin asking if I'd be interested in working one-on-one with an autistic child. Although I didn't have a lot of experience with such, I thought "why not?" That's where I met the second most inuencial person in my life, Michael Kirk. Michael taught me SO MUCH. He loved me, trusted me, listened to my secrets, started eating new foods for me, began working on a computer with me, began interacting a small bit with other students. He sang songs with me, danced with me, amd napped with me. He would swing with me, run with me, and even once cried with me! He is the most amazing human I have ever met. He changed my life and I began to see Gods signs that maybe I could be a positive impact on kids. 

When student teaching was approaching, someone came in and mentioned the opportunity to complete part of student teaching abroad. I had NEVER had a desire to travel. I never really cared what was going on over there on the other side of the world. For some CRAZY reason, I raised my hand, went through some interviews, paid (ok my dad paid) a LOT of money, and next thing I knew I was on my way to Barcelona. 

Let me rewind to the first half of my student teaching. It was at Parker-Bennett-Curry with Mrs. Allen. This brings me to another HUGE influence in my life. Mrs. Allen keeps a Bible on her desk. If you know her, your name is in her Bible and she is praying for you. She never raises her voice. She is a very positive, caring, amazing woman who overcame obstacles in life and became an amazing teacher that has touched a million lives. She taught me to have more self-worth. She gave me a book before I left for Spain. It was "Your Best Life Now" written by that guy that comes on like channel 2 on Sunday mornings. Joel Osteen I think? Anyway she wrote me a note in the front and probably has no idea how much she influenced me. 

Fast forward to Spain. I was placed with P5. That's FIVE YEAR OLDS. If you know me.. You know I prefer 9 years of age and up. We were at what was suppose to be an English speaking school. Lie. They didn't speak or understand English. And I didn't speak or understand any of their languages. However, the teacher I was placed with there was amazing. Her name was Marta. She taught me that it doesn't always have to be silent in your classroom. The content isn't actually the most important thing to teach. You have to love each student. And that's not enough, you have to make sure they know you love them. She also taught me to relax and spend time for myself. She was an amazing lady and the way of life over there really opened my eyes. I came back from that trip a completely different person. I realized what I really wanted in life and decided what the most important things really are. 

I came back and interviewed for a teaching position at Plano Elementary. I was hired and taught 5th grade there for two years. My first year I got to be on the leader in me lighthouse team. I am very passionate about leadership an was pumped about implementing it in my classroom that was full of students that were ready to be leaders, just needed a tiny bit of guidance in how to go about being one. I volunteered to start the Chess Club because I couldn't get enough of being at school. Literally. I was so prideful and I love to compete... So I figured... Why not? I confess.. I still have no clue how to play chess. But the students did! And I had a great assistant to teach them strategies and stuff. At least now they had supervision and could do what they loved to do!

In my time at Plano, I literally had AMAZING students. I always worried that I wouldn't be able to remember all my students years later. Let me tell you, I think about those kids ALL THE TIME. They eased me into my first years of teaching. I still have contact with the amazing parents that ran my classroom parties and kept my room stocked with any and everything we could have ever needed. I formed some amazing friendships there. I learned a lot. In April of 2012, 15 weeks pregnant (give or take a few weeks) I heard the dreaded words "you're not a good fit for this school." My heart turned cold and I momentarily fell into depression. I questioned my decision of pursuing teaching. I thought I had really screwed up life and had cheated 2 years worth of students. I was embarrassed and felt defeated. I've never been as hurt as I was in that moment. It hurts to feel like you're not good at what you LOVE doing. I finished out the year and spent the summer HUGELY (+72 pounds) by the pool. 

I decided to stay the during the fall semester of 2012. BEST DECISION EVER. I had Reece (MY OBSESSION) on August 30th. I thank God every single day for allowing me to be at home, stress free, for weeks upon weeks with the most precious gift ever. I even got to breast feed for 6 months (which I never would've done had I been back at school). 

Around Christmas, PBC posted an instructional assistant position. I've always had a desire to be back at PBC. I loved my time there during my student teaching. After talking with Chris, we decided I should apply and see what happened. Mrs. Smith called and I was a Primary Instructional assistant! It was so nice to be back at school. I was able to leave Reece with a very dear, caring friend, Rachel who I knew would love Reece all day while I was gone. It was amazing.

This brings me to another life changing person. I was paired with this lady named Reneta Dieme. She was the reading teacher and I'd be spending most of my day with her. This woman basically scraped my self esteem off the floor and covered it in gold. She taught me so much and made me "re-realize" why and how I got into teaching. She made me laugh and taught me how to love ALL sorts of students for their own reasons. She taught me how to pick and choose my battles with students and shared in my belief of high expectations for all students. It was an amazing time. Well thenApril came around again and I heard the words, coming from behind tear filled eyes (which did not exist the first time I was pink slipped) that the budget was cut and my position wouldn't exist next year. It didn't hurt as bad for a few reasons. 1) I knew Mrs. Smith was going to do anything she could to keep me employed. She cared about me as appreciated the work I did at her school. And 2) I didn't want an assistant position anyway.

Summer arrived and I began applying for jobs. I won't discuss the job I originally took because I don't want it to sound like I was t super excited about it. 

However, at the end of June, Mr. Wix from Dishman called and asked me if I was interested in coming in for an interview. Dishman is similar to PBC in that the kids need lots of love. Well it just so happens I am a woman. Jo loves too much! (Read the book if you haven't!) One of my best friends, and partners through this entire journey, Lizzie, is a teacher there and she was constantly raving about how much she loves it at Dishman. She ensured me that we had not gone into the wrong field. I wanted to be at this school. I went into the interview and had a wonderful conversation with the interviewees. I actually interviewed for a 1st and 2nd grade position... I didn't get that position. However, Mr. Wix called me 2 days later and offered me a 3rd and 5th grade position.. Which is exactly what I LOVE.

Can you believe it??!! I am constantly asking God why he is SO OBSESSED with me!!! Seriously!! Everything happens for a reason, people. I knew the whole time that God was going to put me where the students that needed me are. I can't wait to build relationships with my students this year. Just hanging out with them at open house tonight was AMAZING. I already LOVE my coworkers. The climate at Dishman is literally unbelievable. Like, if someone had told me it was like this, I would not have believed them. 

Life. Is. Good.