I can not remember a time that I did not want to be a teacher.  I have taken many detours away from teaching in my life due to life circumstances, however, I have always ended up back in education.  I remember as a young girl I would come home from school and set up a class room in my bedroom and "teach" my dolls. I have also been a day care director and a medical marketing manager for a combined total of 15 years.  After I was married and had children, I became a stay at home mom to three wonderful boys.  When our oldest child went to kindergarten our twins also went to preschool twice a week for 3 hours each day and I was asked to be room mother in kindergarten.  I was helping the teacher in the classroom with a variety of tasks such as taking a class on testing kindergarten students letters, sounds, and math.  I then went back to the class and began working with the children.  More and more I began to hear my inner self tell me "its time to get back into education"!  Once my twin's went to kindergarten, I decided to become an Elementary Paraeducator a few days a month.  I only worked at my children's school as I knew the staff and some of the students.  I enjoyed working with the children but was still not as fulfilled as I thought I would be in this role.  The principal  made me aware that our school district was taking short call substitute teachers so I quickly applied and received my license.

For the past eight years I have been  a substitute teacher  for ISD #11  primarily focusing on elementary schools and one middle school.  I have worked daily in every grade and every subject including special education levels 1/2 and center base.  I have covered for a few maternity leaves in kindergarten and second grades and for an unplanned fifth grade retirement mid year.  I have enjoyed every minute of it.  I am currently working at one elementary school as a long term substitute teacher for the current school year.  My school is in a hybrid model due to the current covid situation so I teach students four days per week with 30-40% of the students in  class as well as distance learning students.

Mindfulness for future teachers and current teachers is extremely important in my opinion.  As a substitute teacher I have been able to go to four elementary schools and one middle school in this district and observe teachers that are in various stages of their careers.  As a substitute I was shunned with some grade levels and received no information from them, others were very helpful to me.  I became very friendly with many of these teachers and was quickly put on the "requested" sub list.  Because of this I worked everyday in the same buildings in the same classes.  I was becoming a regular in schools and with the students.  It was fun to watch the kids grow up and remember me.  Becoming a "regular" allowed me to observe other teachers in their classes (which I did often).  I was able to observe excellent teachers and some teachers that possibly should not be in a classroom.  There was much teacher burnout - I could see the difference between the good and the tired teachers pretty quickly.  The really good teachers take care of themselves - being mindful is so important - and key to taking care with and teaching the kids.  Teaching is time consuming, heart wrenching, and demanding at times.  You need to be able to take time for yourself and just be you without feel guilty.  Burning the candle at both ends eventually erodes the love of teaching will turn into resentment that I saw with some of these teachers.  It wasn't that the changes in the curriculum or the new technology they needed to learn that was the cause of their leaving or becoming the "mean" teacher, it was the fact that they were letting things build up inside and not taking the time they needed for themselves.  They suffered so they eventually took it out on the people around them.  I like to start each of my classes with myself and the student taking three deep breaths then stretching up and down.  It helps both myself and the students get focused.

In The Heart of the Teacher, it shows us how students perceive teachers.  Basically students see good teachers as the ones who share themselves with their students.  We don't need to give them every aspect of our lives but a glimpse in is totally fine and generally a good thing.  "Good teachers join self, subject, and students in the fabric of life because they teach from an integral and undivided self; they manifest in their own lives and evoke in their students a "capacity for connectedness".  (Palmer, Pg. 16, 1997) 

One of my favorite quotes that I have heard lately is "The Influence of a Good Teacher Can Never Be Erased" (Lollyjane.com, 2007).  This quote is very true.  As a teacher's guidance and influence can positively or negatively affect a child starting as young as kindergarten.  It is our job to build children up, not tear them down.  

My top 3 core values as a teacher are: Flexibility, Making a Difference and High Expectations.   I am able to be very flexible with my students and lessons.  When things come up I can make a change to a lesson or work with a student without it being a bother.  I can make it flow like it was supposed to happen.  I do set high expectations for my class but I am also working hard with them to make this happen in a creative fun environment for all students.  My top 2 Core Virtues as a teacher are Creativity and Kindness.  I feel that by being creative in my teaching I will be able to instill a love of learning to my students.  Being kind to everyone, especially the students in my class goes a long way in making a safe environment for learning.

When it comes to my teaching disposition, I think I posses all four of them (Caring, Communicative, Creative and Critical).  However I feel my strength lies in Caring.  I have always been able to develop a true respectful caring rapport with students of all ages and cultural backgrounds.  I am the substitute that a particular elementary school calls when they need a sub for a "difficult" class or into a center base classroom.  Generally these kids just need to know that you are willing to work with and help them.  Most times these kids have been labeled "the trouble" kids.  I look at them as kids that need extra love, respect and help.  Some of my best teaching days have been in our EBD center base rooms.  I have seen some of these kids go through so much heartache and chaos in their home-life and then they come to school and the only way they know how to act is to lash out because they don't want to be hurt emotionally or even physically anymore.  When you can make a breakthrough with these kids it is life changing to them.  

My personal purpose teaching statement is:  In my work with students,  I am called to develop positive and kind relationships with students and families while generating a creative and high expectation learning environment where everyone feels safe to learn and develop their educational skills.

The quote above is one of my favorite quotes that I have sitting on my desk.  It is a true statement that I think about everyday when I am interacting with my students.  If I can influence these kids to continue their education and be kind to people, imagine how the world will become.