My Teacher Story {Linky Party}

Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes is hosting a fun linky party right now where people are sharing how they became a teacher.  I thought this was a fun one since I know a lot of people who didn't know from the start that they wanted to be teachers.  It's super interesting to me to hear about other people's journeys to this career, so I thought I'd join in and share my story.

I've been much known since I was in first or second grade that I wanted to be a teacher.  I had wonderful teachers all through elementary school and I think that was a huge factor in my desire to become a teacher as well.  I had teachers that were young, old, and somewhere in between, but they all seemed to love what they did and they make learning fun for their students as well.

Meanwhile, my aunt was in college working to become a teacher as well.  She would come in to volunteer in my classroom in kindergarten and I always looked up to her.  She started teaching full-time when I was in fourth grade and pretty much from the start I was helping her in her classroom during the summer and on the weekends.  I learned very quickly how much extra work teachers have to do to make their classrooms run, but for some reason that didn't scare me away.  She taught in a private school and their schedule was different than ours, so I loved getting to go in and help with her students when I had days off.  

Fast forward to my college years...  I was totally one of those people that started college ready to jump right into my major of elementary education.  I think I was the only one of my friends that knew what I wanted to do and actually stuck with it the whole way through. I had placements in kindergarten (so totally not for me), 5th grade (eh...), and worked at a preschool and daycare (so cute, but so needy).  I'd never had any formal experience in third grade, but for some reason I felt like that was going to be a grade level and age that I'd really enjoy.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to student teach in third grade and instantly fell in love with that group of kids.  

I was very blessed to be looking for a teaching job at a time before budget cuts were a huge concern.  I was given an invitation to apply for jobs at the school I was student teaching at since another school would be reopening the next year and they had a position open in almost every grade level.  I would have loved working there, but I really wanted to move back home near my family and friends.  I just didn't think I would be happy still living in a college town and not be a college student.  The whole process of finding a job was very quick and easy for me.  Things fell into place very quickly and I was blessed to have a job lined up by about the beginning of April.  It was such a good feeling to be able to graduate and know that I had my ideal teaching position waiting for me in the fall!

So, after completing five years (!) at the same school, in the same classroom, and in the same grade level I consider myself to be very blessed.  I work with wonderful people and have had a lot of opportunities to take on some leadership positions in my building.  I never imagined getting a Master's degree back when I was in college, but I decided to go on and pursue that and finished it several years ago.

What's next?!?  Who knows!  I love my current position and plan to stay in it as long as possible.  I don't know what changes my personal life will bring in the next few years...  Hopefully getting married and having kids at some point!  I'm not sure I want to be a full-time teacher, wife, and mom, but at the same time I think I'd probably be the world's worst stay at home mom.  (I'd lay around in sweats all day watching TV reading blogs and pinning things on Pinterest, occasionally attending to my children...  LOL)  I'm considering pursuing a Reading Specialist endorsement or something that might open open up more job possibilities other than being a regular classroom teacher (maybe a little less outside time and work?).  Like I said, who knows what the future will hold, but that seems to be the idea I've cooked up in my head.  

Alright, now it's your turn to share your teacher story and tell us about your journey to becoming a teacher!  Click on the picture above or here to read everyone's stories and link up!