Today I am claiming the label Teacher and/or Trainer. It seems I have always been this way. I was the translator between the brainiacs and the others in school. I sometimes even had to explain things the teachers were saying to others.
But I initially didn't want to be a teacher. I saw on Good Morning America when I was in 7th grade where they had a paraplegic riding a bicycle. They had used computer chips to help with that. Right then and there my plan was to become a physical therapist with a minor in computers. I wanted to help with helping people. I then took all the higher maths and sciences that my school offered.
It wasn't until 1/2 way in between my senior year that I attended a church function with a friend and people were asking her what her major was going to be and she said teacher. It was like a ton of bricks hit me. I don't know if it was because my Dad was a teacher, that I never thought of it, but at that moment, I knew that was the path for me. When I went home and told my parents, they were not surprised. They thought that was the path I should have taken, but were not about to get in my way.
So I went to college nearby. Signed up for Elementary Education and had planned on minoring in music, but when I saw how long that would take, I dropped that. I did my 4 years of schooling (vs 8 or more for PT) and I kept running into blocks throughout. Teachers didn't like me questioning their systems or seeming to try and stump them in asking questions. I guess the one thing they didn't teach them was to say, I don't know I'll have to find out and get back to you. But I did it. Got my BAE in Elementary Education. I even did a stint of student teaching in a special program in Kansas City.
I moved out to LA (to be with a boyfriend) figuring it would be very easy to get a teaching job. Boy was I wrong! First off, LA is a HUGE place. On top of that getting private schools versus public - be prepared to take at least a $10k pay cut. At least that is what is was in the early 90's. Someone actually read my transcripts at one of my interviews and basically told me based off the state I got my license in along with what I majored in, that I more than likely would have to take more classes and do another student teaching in California. Ahh no thanks! I even came up as one of the possible replacements at a couple of schools - but got beat out by someone "with" experience.
I looked for any part-time job at that point, grocery stores, video stores, etc. And guess what -- too much experience. LOL I was beginning to think I was going to have to go back to Iowa. But the boyfriend at the time knew a temporary position that had opened up at his work. So he had me come out to play volleyball to meet the guy who was looking for a "secretary". He apparently like what he saw, so he had me come in for an interview.. and this is what we call the rest of the story..
I did different jobs from that temporary one I started in in 1991. It wasn't until 2003 that I changed jobs that allowed me to actually teach again. I was so nervous getting back into this - systems training. It had been 10 years since I did any teaching. They sent me and another lady they had hired to a specific instructional developer's workshop. The instructor started talking and I was immediately like -- oh yea.. I remember that. Because what had happened is the concepts stay the same but they just call it something different. LOL.
Needless to say since that move in 2003, I have done fairly well for myself. I have really gotten my training skills going and do good work, I'd like to think. Now I'm working on working on my spiritual stuff and once I get my book written, I will be concentrating on a course. We'll just have to see how that goes.
So if you can't tell yet - I claim this label proudly.
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