As I sit in the airport terminal in Washington DC, I reflect
upon the journey that has brought me here. I began my teaching career, as a
High School student enrolled in an Early Childhood Education career center
class. I wanted to be a Kindergarten Teacher. I was always one who put the
children first, thinking how I could teach them in a fun way. I was eager to
learn so I took every internship, class assignment and babysitting opportunity
that came my way. I was very observant and would help tie shoes, wipe noses,
entertain or do what I felt was needed. Supervising teachers told me that I had
the gift.
As a career center student I
decided to create a community service project. I wrote a skit to teach young
children the importance of bike safety and helmet use. A group of my classmates
helped me pull this off and we presented to several preschool and elementary
settings. I presented my project at the regional and state FCCLA competition in
hopes of winning and being able to go to nationals in Florida. I was young and
wanted to get out of Ohio. I ended up losing the competition and not traveling
to Florida with my school. I was angry but the following year came back as an
FCCLA judge, because I understand the power that the project gave me, even
though I lost.
I worked two part time jobs and attend a community college
full-time but still stayed networked with my former career teachers and FCCLA.
I was finding my path. In 2011, I was hired as the Early Childhood Education
Career Teacher for the district I graduated from and replaced one of my mentor
teachers. I am one of her success stories because she empowered me and modeled.
I had no idea of the battle I would have to obtain a Teaching License in Ohio and
that is an even longer story... I will share my survivor story of the Ohio
Resident Educator process another day, because today I want to tell you how I
came to be in DC by joining the Teacher Leadership Initiative.
My grandfather was very stern, real and set in his humble
ways. He told me that unions are what saved Americans from the great depression
and he should know, he lived it. My grandfather retired from the Columbus Fire
Department the year I was born. I knew as a young girl that my Dad, who was a
non-union blue collar worker, struggled to make ends meet and would tell me of
the corruptness at his job. My Mom, a devoted stay at home Mom and Grandma, worked
briefly for a retailer. My Dad would say get a union job, if you’re going to do
this teacher thing. Teaching and little Director Experience in the private
sector frustrated me and I was feeling a call to public school.
At 21 with an Associate Degree and Ohio Pre-Kindergarten
teaching certificate, my mentor Teacher asked me to apply for an assistant
position. In 1999, I started my career teaching public school children. I was a
non-traditional college student, back before it was defined. For two years I
got involved in the school and with my local classified union. In 2008, after
earning my Master’s Degree in Education, I transferred unions and positions,
becoming a Teacher and part of the NEA. I have passion for what I do and for
all Teachers! It makes me upset that Charter and Private school teachers are
underpaid. They are not my enemies; I know that they have a passion to educate,
just like I do.
The education systems
in America frustrate me, as I read about mismanagement of money, data scrubbing
in all school settings and as a classroom Teacher who was navigating my own district’s
confusing path to obtain funds, for real world field trip opportunities; I read
my local union’s newsletter for the TLI project. I signed up that day, back in
the fall of 2014. I had no idea that my work would be selected to represent the
1,000 public school teachers who make up TLI. I am humbled and thankful for the
honor of this opportunity. My work is not over and that is why I am joining my
local union as a member of the “Social & Economic Justice Committee,”
advocating for education and poverty in America.
The journey still
continues, so stay tuned, because I will need your help in making sure our
point is heard by the powers in Washington D.C.
