This is sooo cool!! Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Kim and I am 24 years old. I always hoped that when I won the Listserve I would be older, that I’d have some real life advice or thoughts to share with the world. Because I’m only 24, I don’t have many of the life experiences that some of you do, but I’d like to share some of my life with you anyway!
In August 2008 I began my long journey through college. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher since the very first time someone let me have a piece of chalk in my hand as a kindergartener. In December 2013, I graduated college with a bachelors degree in Secondary English Education. This was literally the happiest day of my life. Being able to walk across that stage as my name was called was one of the single greatest accomplishments of my life, especially considering that I was the first one in my immediate family to have that experience!
In college, I was fortunate enough to have a professor who saw me struggling with life overall and took me under his wing. He was one of the constants in my life when it seemed like everything else was falling apart. Without his persistent guidance and support, being a teacher wouldn’t have been a possibility for me because when he met me, I was ready to give up on college and moreover, myself. I will forever be grateful to him for all that he’s given me and because he’s absolutely AWFUL at accepting compliments or recognition for what he’s done for all of his students, the only natural thing for me to do is compliment him to all those receiving this email! If you’ve ever had a teacher/professor/instructor change your life or make you believe in yourself, take a minute, find their email online, and tell them what they did for you. I can promise that’s one of the most gratifying parts of teaching; hearing from former students that you positively impacted their lives or who they’ve become! Thank you Mark, from the bottom of my heart. I will never stop telling you how much I appreciate you!
Currently, I am a teacher at a high school in East Chicago, Indiana. I love the kids there. The school I work at is an underprivileged district and many people told me cautionary tales about the school and warned me not to accept a position there. My Lord, how wrong those people were. Those kids are some of the most fun, energetic, bright, and loving students I have ever met! I do not have my own classroom there, yet, but I hope that whatever school I find a job at with my own classroom, the kids will be just as incredible.
I’d like to say this--for all of you on this Listserve that are my age or around my age: Don’t ever be afraid to take a chance. Don’t ever be afraid to allow an opportunity to change your life for the better. Don’t ever quit on yourself.
Finally, email me! I’d love to hear from some of you and see where this email has gone!! Networking is a HUGE deal among teachers so this is obviously the coolest way ever to do it! Share anything with me! If this happens to reach anyone with access to free books that they’d be willing to send me for my classroom library, I’d be eternally grateful!! In order to create readers, I have to first get books into their hands; anything in the Young Adult Literature section usually gets my kids ready to read!
Thanks for reading!!
-Kim
[email protected]
Gary, IN USA