Teaching

I am a teacher.  These are my students.  I wish I could show their faces but I think you can tell a lot from their shoes.  I love my job.  If I could stay in my classroom all day and not deal with the "other stuff" my days would be perfect.  I am not one of those people who can say they knew they wanted to teach when they were in 2nd grade.  I had several majors in college.  Even before I graduated from high school I was searching for what I should become.
I don't know how I made contact with these people, but once I apparently invited some flight attendant recruiters to come speak to my parents about the program.  Well, I failed to tell my parents they were coming.  They just happend to show up on a Saturday when my mom and a couple of church ladies were having a mega garage sale.  The flight attendant ladies were quite, umm stuffy and "uppety".  The whole time my mom (don't remember my dad being there) was listening to their info, one person or another was interrupting asking how much a pot, a pair of shoes, etc. cost.  Now I can laugh at how hilarious that was.  I was so embarrassed at the time.  Goes without saying neither my parents nor the flight attendant ladies were impressed.  I was never contacted by them again.
My sister Sonia (who was in college at the time) then guided me in applying for college.  I chose UMHB and was accepted.  My first major was fashion design and merchandising.  I know..silly.  Then I changed to social work followed by child psychology.  I hated all my classes.  Finally, after Michael was born, I found my calling.  Teaching.  I can only imagine the sigh of relief my parents must have had.  I'm sure they were beginnig to doubt I would ever finish college.  I think I got my first master's for them.  So they could see I was really serious about it.  This second master's I got for me.
Teaching has been fun.  Everyday is different.  Every student is different.  I am proud of the work I do.  I care about each one of my students and see their success as my success.  I realize I will not become wealthy and that even if I earn 10 master degrees in education I will never have the same prestige or recognition that other professionals (drs, lawyers) receive.  But that's ok.  My recognition is that mom who sends me homemade tamales as a Christmas gift or that student who still emails me 4 yrs after being in my class...just to say she still misses my class.  Sure, I complain and whine about the many mandates we receive from federal, state, district, and campus decission makers...but I still get energized and excited when that student who was struggling and failing is successful. 
So tomorrow I go back to teaching long division, soil properties, editing, and reading...I may not be excited when the alarm goes off at 6...but I can honestly say I am glad I am a teacher and not a flight attendant.