Life's Journeys

As I write this blog I am on a "Trailways" bus headed for Orlando, Florida with 23 archers from the Blaney Archery Team. This great adventure and event for me and the students makes me pause and reflect on how far I have come from being an elementary student myself.
As a fourth grade student in Bethel, Ct. I found my best friend Lisa Steiger and had my first male teacher, Mr. Fenn. He hung a smiley face on his door with a mustache because he had one. I had a great elementary school experience from singing in the chorus, square dancing and learning to play the trumpet in the fifth grade to having two more male teachers in fifth grade that were ahead of their time in creative and differentiated instruction. My math teacher, Mr. Armadilla, had us learn money by playing the Price is Right and Mr. Frasier had us develop and create a device that would hold an egg and not crack if dropped from the roof of the school. We actually got to go on the roof of the school. Wow! How the memories flood back when you give yourself a chance to remember.
I didn't like middle school but not because of the teachers. It was all the drama that goes on in middle school. Friendships changing, bodies changing and trying to figure our who you are. I had some wonderful teachers in middle school. Mr. Jackson was my sixth grade teacher and he saw something in me that I didn't see so he was a great encourager. He listened, he had high expectations and he cared. The saying, "children don't care how much you know until the know how much you care" is so true. After all these years being able to remember Mr. Jackson and his class is evidence to me that he did care and was a great teacher. I can only pray my former students look back on their experience in my classes with the same respect and appreciation. There were disappointments-didn't make the cheerleading squad, my best friend, Lisa, and I drifted a few years and my naturally curly hair in the age of straight, long air was a confidence killer. My parents taught me responsibility by allowing me to have a paper route. That gave me money to buy things I wanted and do things. I remember buying banana flavored lip smackers, going to the roller skating rink every Saturday, and riding my bike to Bethel Food Market to buy my favorite candy, red licorice, or to the 5 and 10, Jerome's or Mullaney's to get "Razzles" because it is a candy and a gum! Those were the days.
Coming to South Carolina to attend the College of Charleston was life changing. I became a Christian, began my teaching career and met Lavoy. Once I started teaching, I knew I wanted to become a principal. That journey took 13 years-2 years to earn my Masters degree in Administration and another 9 paying my dues. At the time, I couldn't understand why I wasn't being hired for an assistant principal's position but being able to look back I see how much I learned in those nine years. Nine years gave me the opportunity to teach special education in Williamsburg County and Florence District 3. I later moved to Lugoff and taught middle school special education and later 7th grade ELA and 8th grade ELA and math. Being able to say to my staff that I have experienced K to 8th grade, regular education, special education and held a variety of leadership roles while teaching allows them to trust me more because I do speak from experience.
As a mother of three children, my Life's Journey has taken many twists and turns. My current path is watching my two older children find their own life journey without me and Lavoy. That is so hard. Letting go is almost as hard as raising them to be responsible, caring, productive citizens. My heart aches walking through my house that was once filled with activity. One child remains at home so there is still activity-just not as much.
When I was in fourth grade, I never would have imagined or even could have imagined the journey my life would take. It has been good and I know in another 20 years or so I will reflect back and be amazed at the rest of my Life's Journey.