Growing up, I was homeschooled. My dad was in the navy, and we ended up moving a few times. My mother was the best teacher I ever had. We went on field trips to the Seattle Underground (which if you don't know what that is, click here.) and the Seattle Science Museum. However, when we moved to a different town in Washington State, my parents decided to put me in public school. I had always dreamed about going to public school; however, my dreams did not meet my expectations.
I was the outcast before I stepped off the bus. My family didn't make much being a Navy family. I didn't have the coolest hair style or clothing. I was obsessed with the Titanic and Pokemon. Inside the classroom, my teacher taught more traditionally and less hands on. My undiagnosed ADHD hindered me from being the best possible student in the classroom. I constantly and blatantly disobeyed and defined my teacher's authority. I wanted to go back to homeschool. I wanted to go back to hands-on learning by going to the museums and witnessing ACTUAL history unfold. Reading about events that happened or having someone tell me why fractions worked wasn't what I called an education. So, I acted out and punched a girl after she constantly bullied me.
School has never been my thing. Traditional teaching and learning has never been my thing. So, I never thought teaching would be my thing. I finished high school with a 3.1 GPA not realizing that I was in-fact a "text-book" picture of a "hands-on learner."
My first year of college, I was planning on majoring in Journalism. I was planning on being a broadcast journalist or maybe a photo journalist. Well, the main professor did not like me or my writing style. He chastised me for being who I am through my writing, which happened to be one of my favorite things to do.
I was suddenly at a crossroad of my life. The career and passion for writing and news had suddenly evaporated at the lonely age of 18. I was really going no where stuck in my small town in Bremerton, Washington. My parents had moved to New Jersey and mentioned Nyack College to me. Before I made the decision to commit to a four year school, I wanted to make sure I knew what I wanted to do.
So, I prayed about it over and over again. I asked God to show me where he wanted me to go and do. For the next month, God used everyone around me to reaffirm what he originally called me to do. I have always been good with kids. I have been teaching Sunday School for years. I was working in a daycare with the older students. In a months time, I was reminded of students like myself: a little crazy, creative, and hands-on. I was reminded of all the times that I loved school and hated school. I was reminded by every person I came in contact with that, when I teach, I break things down into obtainable pieces for further understanding.
I realized I had neglected my natural ability: TEACHING.
So, I applied to Nyack not knowing what would happened. If this was what I was supposed to do, then I asked God to let me be accepted within the week. He did it... and I was accepted in 3 days. I was accepted into college in three days.
Three years later, I not only have realized that teaching is my calling, but I realized that God has his hand on my life. God has taken my mess of a life and showed me where I was meant to go. I am meant to be a teacher. That's what I do. I teach. I relate to students. That's what I want to do forever and ever.
