The Calling

I began my career in teaching in the Bronx at a high school that I literally mistook for a factory on the day I went to interview for the position that would later become mine.  Feeling every bit like J.Lo as I was "on the 6" after all, I stepped off the subway, followed the directions that were given to me and thought "there is no way that building is a school, I must be going in the wrong direction", so I turned and walked the other way.  Stopping into a Foot Locker to ask directions, I was told, "that's it" as the sales associate lifted a skinny, mocha colored arm to point in the direction of "the Factory".  So back toward the "factory" I went in hopes of winning a chance to teach in "Da Bronx".
 
Climbing to the 4th floor (and the building only had 4 floors), I reached the AP's office and the interview quickly began.  I must have answered everything right because the next thing I knew, I was doing a demo in a real live classroom full of summer school students and I had nothing prepared. I wasn't told to bring a lesson, you said, "Interview" I-n-t-e-r-v-i-e-w, to me that means one person not a class full of kids you've never seen before.
 
After what I thought was a devastating attempt at teaching, I went back home and waited for the phone call. Good or bad, I waited and in the meantime took a job at a bookstore.
 
I got the call in October, yes October, one month after the school year had begun and was asked "are you still interested, the teacher we hired never showed up, never called, nothing and we need a teacher".  Well, hell yes I was interested, is the Pope Catholic? Is a bullfrog waterproof?  "When do I start?" "Tomorrow, bring what you have", the voice said "and report to room 441".  I was elated and petrified at the same time. Tomorrow???? I slept with both eyes wide open the whole night.
 
Tomorrow came, I got to room 441, I was handed a list of students, a list of rooms and told, "you're new, you don't have your own room, you have to move from place to place".  This of course also meant, I'd be schlepping all my materials with me from the 4th floor to the 2nd floor back to the 4th floor until the end of the year.  I didn't just get thrown in the deep end of the pool, I got dropped like a ton of bricks into the deepest part of the ocean.
 
But (take a deep breath), I made it(exhale).  My first year in the Bronx, I cried everyday for 4 months but I got up every morning to battle with those kids. Some battles were bigger than others but at the end, we both won. I taught them something, they learned something and in the end taught me something as well.
 
I left teaching after teaching for one year in Georgia as the administration and I didn't quite agree on certain matters and well "we don't care how they do it in NY" to which I replied, "that may be true, but at least NY isn't 50th in the nation".  Don't worry, dear reader, it was my last day.  So, I decided I needed a break and went into the wonderful world of web work and project management. I'm smarter than the average bear and my interests don't stop outside the classroom.  I'm doing okay for myself in that line of work but then I got an email from a student that went something like this:
 
 Dear Miss ( I was always Miss, no last name)
        I finally graduated, not that it wasn't hard and not that I hated it, but thanks for believing in me, it meant alot.
   Sincerely,
      A
 
I was speechless and it takes quite a bit to make me speechless.  So, I've decided to go back to teaching. Yes, it's hard, yes it gives me migraines on a daily basis, but it's rewarding and you're appreciated.  Sure, I won't be rolling in the dough and at times, my life may be at risk, but being a teacher is a pretty powerful job.  You laugh, you scoff, but I alone can make or break your child.  Chances are, during the school year, I see them more in one day than you, the parent does. I can build them up and make them believe in themselves, or I can tear them down. All of this in the blink of an eye.  I am a mother, father, caregiver, fashion critic, romance advisor, psychologist and friend.
 
 
But above all, I AM a teacher