Next year I'm going to start down the path to being a teacher. My 2011 achievement for me will be taking that first step...going back to school part time to get my teaching license. My mom keeps warning me, if I'm sick of my job, teaching should be my last resort. I've gotten used to the salary of an engineer and I won't make anywhere near as much.
Mom, it's not about the money for me. True, I can continue to move up in my company and make more money than I would possibly know what to do with. But in this line of work, I'm only reaching a finite number of people. I've hit the ceiling as far as inspiration goes...and I want to inspire! I want to motivate!! Spending 9 hours in an office everyday just isn't serving me anymore! It's time to take the next step and begin my move into a new profession.
Being a teacher will allow me to spread my own joy and my own experiences to others, and if I can reach out to just one student, I'll have been successful. Being a teacher will afford me more time to spend doing things I love, rather than sitting in an office on a sunny summer day, staring out the window dreaming of fresh air! Being a teacher will allow me to impart my knowledge to others. Being a teacher will make me happy.
In the spirit of this exercise...I'm going to write down 10 new things/thoughts that make me feel happy, because beginning my journey towards teaching isn't the only thing in my life that will have that effect. These are things that I can feel and appreciate and truly be happy, even without my 2011 achievement!
- Telling Brandon, each and every day, how much I love and appreciate him.
- Finishing my second marathon
- Spending time (face-to-face) with my mom, dad, stepmom, brother and baby sister
- "Toes in the water, ass in the sand.." on a beach back home on Maui
- Planting our garden for the summer
- Learning something new
- Seeing my plates used in surgery
- Being outside...and practicing yoga outside!
- Sleeping in and snuggling in bed with Brandon and Pele'
- The purple sky at night when it's snowing
4 comments:
Taking that step to go for something that will make you happy - good for you!
So happy for you! I've thought about doing my state's gap program for teaching as a second career (newspapers hours just aren't great for new mommies). Is that what you're doing? I'm excited to hear more about it.
Shannon - it will definitely make me happy, but the change is a huge commitment! I'm ready to go "all in" in 2011
Kristi - time is a huge factor for me too...and I value my time more than money! I just found out one of the colleges that is about 5 minutes from my house has a program for evening teacher licensing classes. I'm looking into it, hopefully everything works out!
Hey chicky-babe...
Have you thought about using your education in another country?
Look at what Spector is doing. While her endeavors aren't geared to her specific education, perhaps your skill set could be utilized in a new light in some other place.
Perhaps a fresh outlook (new faces, new situations...hell, different situations entirely) on what you do would not only reignite your passion for the subject, but gain experience that will benefit both your careerBecca and you happyinnerselfBecca.
You could come home and be able to scoff: "Of COURSE you want me. I spent x amt of time doing THIS in [insert interesting and exotic-sounding location]! In fact, you'll pay me double!" *grin*
Just a thought...but one that you may want to consider. If money isn't really part of the focus, I'd elect to jet on out of the country (with the male counterpart, of course) and gain some worldly experience (while sharing my own with people who both want and seek it) over teaching high school (where one of fifty may be remotely interested). While that one kid does need to be inspired...what if you could inspire 50 somewhere else for the same amount of energy.
((Huzzah for parentheses!)()))! ()?
That, and I think very fewer things could make me lose my hope for humanity faster than teaching at a high school. Could just be my winning, social butterfly attitude, though.
Don't get me wrong - I will love and be completely, almost creepily proud of you no matter which path you choose...but I would hate to see your motivation and optimism go to waste on the reigning champions of whiny, jaded behavior - the Kings and Queens of HormonalEmoTeenLand (land land land).
**Sorry if this is a double post. My computer decided to get all weepy or something.**
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