Tuesday, July 24, 2012

When you were in school, did you like it?


Yes, I just posted this on my tumblr, here:
http://orangeautumn.com/post/27922201398/why-teach

But felt like I should share it here, too.

When you were in school, did you like it?  How did your experience in school influence your decision to become a teacher?
Let me clarify my answer, as I had a limited space to answer:
As weirds as it seems, I hated school, especially the high school years — in fact, here’s a secret to some folks, I didn’t graduate high school.  I dropped out at 16 and have a GED.
I did, however, fall in love with working with students with severe disabilities.  
I adored college and graduated with a dual degree in psychology and philosophy, after completing an associates degree in fine arts.  I just kind of stumbled upon the field I’m in now and my early studies have helped a lot.  After several years as a TA in a school for individuals with Autism I decided this was the field for me.  Started a master’s program in Special Education:  Severe Disabilities and snagged a teaching job, and the rest is sort of history.  I’m about to start my fifth year teaching —eep! 
But I have to say, the fact that I can say that I am ‘high school teacher’ still gives me the heebeejeebees, not to mention that I am teaching at a school with the same name as the one I attended for that short period of time.  
Folks, teachers and others alike, please re-blog and answer the question(s), I’m really quite curious. 
xo autumn

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