Hosted by Skittles at Heads or TailsThis week's theme/prompt is:
TAILS - Tell about your job (Or one you've had)
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Confucius
A few weeks ago I was tagged by Peajay after she was tagged by His Girl Friday at Wellied on Life for a Meme of 'Fives', and I posted mine in the 2nd half of my Fun Monday #4 post (about my favorite walk) after sharing awards. One of the questions was about 'jobs' ... and I responded as follows:
Five jobs I've had:1. Playground Director for after-school and summer programs.2. Elementary School teacher - grades 2-63. Staff Developer - providing support and conducting workshops for adults in educational settings.
4. Middle School teacher - grades 6 and 8
5. College Professor of 'Methods of Teaching' courses for Graduate students seeking Teaching Credentials.
"The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one." Oscar Wilde
Throughout my life I've been blessed with 'work' I've found both challenging and enjoyable. I experienced success in all of the positions listed above because my preparation led me to opportunity ... and as I maximized my potential and gradually outgrew each one, the next appeared as an open door ... inviting me to enter.
As many regular readers know, I've been 'happily retired' since June of 2001. Once again, opportunity knocked ... and I responded. For the next few years, I accepted of the 'job' of 'volunteer' in my sister's Kindergarten class. I did all of her individual 'testing & assessment' of students and taught 'writing as a process' to small groups of 5 & 6 year olds until SHE 'retired' as well.
Since that time, I've taken on a few personal 'jobs' ... including (but not limited to) the following:
1. simplifying my life & surroundings (a task that may take a decade or more because I'm a recovering pack-rat)
2. 'reclaiming' my front yard (something I've written about previously in 4 parts ... here, here, here, and here
3. sharing some of my writings with others on my two blogs to gain a comfort level with 'being known' as a writer
4. sorting through the pages of more than 100 'accumulated journals ... in search of 'gems' for possible publication ata some point
and most recently ...
5. enrolling in and attending a 5 week 'beginning' course in Photoshop Elements ...(and a 5 week 'intermediate' class to follow immediately from mid-June through July). You might say that current 'job' is as 'student' ;--)
Throughout my life I've been blessed with 'work' I've found both challenging and enjoyable. I experienced success in all of the positions listed above because my preparation led me to opportunity ... and as I maximized my potential and gradually outgrew each one, the next appeared as an open door ... inviting me to enter.
As many regular readers know, I've been 'happily retired' since June of 2001. Once again, opportunity knocked ... and I responded. For the next few years, I accepted of the 'job' of 'volunteer' in my sister's Kindergarten class. I did all of her individual 'testing & assessment' of students and taught 'writing as a process' to small groups of 5 & 6 year olds until SHE 'retired' as well.
Since that time, I've taken on a few personal 'jobs' ... including (but not limited to) the following:
1. simplifying my life & surroundings (a task that may take a decade or more because I'm a recovering pack-rat)
2. 'reclaiming' my front yard (something I've written about previously in 4 parts ... here, here, here, and here
3. sharing some of my writings with others on my two blogs to gain a comfort level with 'being known' as a writer
4. sorting through the pages of more than 100 'accumulated journals ... in search of 'gems' for possible publication ata some point
and most recently ...
5. enrolling in and attending a 5 week 'beginning' course in Photoshop Elements ...(and a 5 week 'intermediate' class to follow immediately from mid-June through July). You might say that current 'job' is as 'student' ;--)
Thought for Today
"Every person I work with knows something better than me. My job is to listen long enough to find it and use it." Jack Nichols
"Every person I work with knows something better than me. My job is to listen long enough to find it and use it." Jack Nichols
![[premio-dardos_thumb1--aline.jpg]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW81dYN-lRYB34FAZKsEcTZK6syODVDvMZUqP-xRVHuT4SElhjIGWtbKV4pk2zDDKHE0rPq07a5KKCKT79xcGu6WvPTyzhAkO1CuQ5_9nvLhA4zkf_nJgw7MKeZPD_Mc8sjhPPT4dXqg/s1600/premio-dardos_thumb1--aline.jpg)
21 comments:
So you are teacher....great job
Mine in here Thanks
I love to read about your jobs - both before and after your retirement.
you've been through different stages of teaching. such an interesting job.
mine is here!
hope you can drop by. thanks.
I enjoyed the Confucius quote, and also reading again of jobs you have had. The good you have done as a teacher, and as one who trained teachers, must be comforting to consider. :)
I see you've spent a lot of time associated with education! I like how each step led you to new places, new challenges, new opportunities.. and new friends.
Picturing of Life – I’m a happily retired teacher … but perhaps once a teacher, always a teacher ;--)
Eve – This topic challenged me because choosing ONE seemed too difficult, so I created a bit of leeway for myself … answering in my own way. Glad you enjoyed this post.
Milet – Art Costa used to say that if you stayed with the same methods throughout a teaching career you’d be ‘in vogue’ once a decade … and looking back, methinks there’s truth in that because there are ‘cycles’ to everything.
Joyce – I do realize I’ve touched many lives over the years … and I’m hopeful the positives outweigh the negatives. I know I did my best always, and believe Don Miguel Ruiz who asserts one’s best is always good enough.
Skittles – Sometimes it feels like I spent my entire life in schools, but looking back … it’s clear ‘forces worked within my life’ …(as I believe they do for all of us)… to point the way … just as they’re at work in my life currently. Reminds me of the lyric … “I don’t know where I’m going, but I know who’s going with me” … and I feel blessed.
I’m off to class in a little while and will visit HoTs (and others) when I return later this afternoon. Thanks so much for visiting and have a delightful day!
Hugs and blessings,
Next week's prompt is 'royal'...hmmm, my first thought on this is I can certainly be a royal pain! Or at least I've been told. LOLOL
I think teaching would be one of the most rewarding life experiences ever!!! High 5
Now about the tattoo question. I had mine done when I turned 50 believe it or not! It's about two inches above the ankle bone...I would never dream of having one done too near a bone...I bet it WOULD be painful. I love the fact I actually went and had one done...I designed it myself with a drawing and took it to the artist and asked him if he could do it...and it went from there. I never regret having one. I love it.
Seems like you were fated to be an educator!
You've had some great and wondeful jobs and continue with it, sounds like you are a born educator.
Stop by my HOT:
HERE
Teaching middle school I think it would be sometime challenging and other time quite interesting.
Mine is up
Sounds like you've been very lucky to find the right opportunity at the right time, but I guess you probably made your own luck.
Great quote!
Happy Tuesday.
I enjoyed reading more about you and the different jobs you have had, mainly in education. Nice post. I wrote about the last job I had. I hope you have time to visit me.
If my comment shows up twice its because when I hit publish it said I had lost my connection.....
So here I go again. Just this week on Good Morning America they were talking about people who continue to be students live longer. I'm a believer of this. So your present role as a student is also good for your health. In the beginning I wanted to be a teacher but my life took a different path.
Hootin’ Anni – Yes, my mind is running with possibilities for next week already … but dunno yet what I’ll do. Thanks for the High 5!!! I loved every day in the classroom, but I love every day now too. As for the tattoo … I was about 45 when I started THINKING about a tattoo … 50 when I started experimenting with henna & air-brushed versions for ‘practice’ … and I almost got the real thing while I was in Taos last summer but backed off when I was told to get one elsewhere. I don’t WANT one elsewhere … I want it where YOU have yours. Maybe I’ll be brave and do it sometime soon ;--)
Karen – I suspect you’re right about that ;--)
Gina – Perhaps so … and it was a good life … and ‘after’ life that I’m currently living. I have no complaints ;--)
Peppylady – I loved teaching Middle School for the last ten years or so of my career … just two ‘preps’ each day (reading/language arts and history) instead of 20 or more (like in the elementary grades) … and the kids were interesting to work with too ;--)
Inspiration Alley – Methinks I have been ‘lucky’ indeed … AND it seems I could take advantage of opportunities because I’d done the preparatory work already.
Shannon – Glad you like it. Happy HoTs and ToT to YOU ;--)
Betty – Thanks … I’ll be over either later today … or tomorrow for sure.
Linda – Your comment showed up only once, but I’ve had Blogger do that to me before and I know how frustrating it can be to start over. Thanks for trying again … and I’m delighted to know that being a student is good for my health!
Thanks to everyone for stopping by and sharing your thoughts here. I’ve done some visiting this afternoon after walking Molly but I’m about ready to watch some TENNIS … so I’ll visit everyone else tomorrow. Hope you all had a great Tuesday!
Hugs and blessings,
Wow! So you were a teacher AND a teacher trainer! Cool! Teacher training was my line of work, too! Tell me, which did you prefer: Elementary, Middle School or Adults?
I'm afraid, sometimes I found behavior in my "adult" students that I KNOW they would never allow from their own students! LOL!
wow, i'm impressed that you've taught such a variety of ages, you must be really passionate about teaching. i definately agree that being a student is a job! it's just as much work as some other jobs (at least, it is for me!!), good luck!
As a teacher you will have molded and influenced many lives. Wonderful that you could find such fulfilling work
Julie (jvdhj) – Interesting commonality there … small world! As for which I preferred, I liked each level for different reasons. Like you, I found adults often behaved in ways they wouldn’t accept from their students … and eventually I decided I’d rather work with kids than adults. That’s how I found myself teaching Middle School for the last several years before retiring. What really surprised me was how much I enjoyed my sister’s kindergarten students when I volunteered in her classroom after I’d retired.
Annie – One of the things about being a teacher is you have to be a learner along side of your students … observing and making adjustments all the time to meet needs that arise. As for all grade levels … I get bored easily and tend to thrive best on change … so once I’d ‘figured things out’ I was ready to move on. I’m loving the ‘student’ role currently ;--)
VicGrace – You’re correct, of course. One never really knows the role we play in the lives of others … but I did encounter MANY children and adults over the course of my career and wish all the best to each one.
Thanks for stopping by my HoTs post at Small Reflections this week. I appreciate your feedback and hope you’re having a wonderful week.
Hugs and blessings,
Storyteller,
You've taught all the age groups. Did you enjoy one group more than the others? Was one group more challenging than the others?
I enjoyed reading all about your jobs before and after retirement!
hugs,
Tina
Tina – Thanks! As I responded to Julie previously here, I enjoyed each in turn … and was ready to move on to a new setting (or age group) once I’d figured things out because I enjoy challenges.
Hope you had a wonderful week.
Hugs and blessings,
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