What I've Done in Education

Day Two of the Big Time Literacy Blogging Challenge. 

Today's topic:

How long and in what capacities have I been in education.

This goes back a little ways...

I was a student in public school K-12 in Indiana.

Then I spread my wings, flew to Kansas and was a student at Hesston College, and Bethel College. I ended those years with a BA in Elementary Education and an emphasis in Special Education.

With those degrees in hand I set off to find a job. I taught students with special needs in an elementary building for 7 years in Marion, Kansas, and 2 years in Newton, Kansas.

By that time I was married and had 2 preschool children. I was fortunate to quit my job and stay home for 6 years with my kids (and a few others).

When my younger son entered first grade I started subbing in my small town. I did that for 1.5 years.

Those subbing jobs led me to find the school where I wanted to be a full-time teacher. 

I stepped back into full-time teaching mid-year. The job was for students with special needs and I split time between two Newton, Kansas schools.

The following year I tried something new: a classroom teacher in a Newton school. The classroom was a combination of second and third graders at Walton Rural Life Center. That was interesting: first time in a general education classroom full-time, and a split class with state assessments in the spring. I was a little bit stressed. 

With the retirement of a wonderful first grade teacher, I slipped into a first grade position at the same school, and that's where I've been for the last two years. I am "home" and I'll tell that story another day...

So, all total...17 years as a student (and a bit of a teacher), and 14 years as a teacher (and student, of course).

That was fun--I hadn't done all the math before. 

I can't wait to read some more "history" of my friends over at Michelle's blog Big Time Literacy. You can, too.