Thursday, January 19, 2006

It's a long one...


Hey everyone who stops by and reads! Extra special love to Tam for her success in the campaign to get me a few readers (thanks to her blog fam, as well). I won't even tell y'all my bloghate story. But, I've experienced a little shade in this blog game. LOL! It's just really nice to know that there are actually real, cool ass people in cyberspace.

Class was cool last night. I have another one tonight. I am very excited! When I first started my blog, (as if anyone was reading it then haha) I mentioned that I had started a new venture at work but I didn't really go into it. Well, in November I started a mentoring group for 7th grade girls. I had the pleasure of having my seventh graders last year when they were 6th graders and I noticed that this year the girls were a mess! It was drama damn near every day. So my plan for this group was to give them a safe place to discuss issues that affect them as pre-teen/teenage (some of them are 14) girls. Well the BIG boss (my principal's boss) notices the success of the group and offers me a position as the Director of Counseling and Student Support Services for our entire region of schools right before Winter break. She tells me that she wants me to start the position in September and that all I need to do is enroll in a Master's program and be working toward licensure. Now, it's important to mention that I have been itching to do something outside of the classroom. This is my 6th year as a teacher and I worked on a Master's in curriculum to be either a vice principal or a curriculum leader. That was kinda my plan for myself, but I wasn't sure how or when it was going to play out. Opportunities for those positions in my school weren't looking hopeful. But I didn't want to just up and leave because I actually like where I work, plus I make a healthy bit more than the average teacher working where I work. I already make what a vice principal earns in the surrounding school districts.

It's also important to know that I am what people call a "go-getter". I am the type of person that sets a goal and works relentlessly until it is accomplished. That has definitely gotten me to where I am today. So, in my mind, I'm really working hard to shine so that the bosses will at least make me a curriculum leader or mentor teacher or something. But, no one really said anything that made me believe that it would happen any time soon. So, I took my Nana'a advice and continued to bloom where I was planted. Well, out of the blue comes this opportunity and I really feel like it is straight from The Creator because I had no hand in it! The next day, after being offered the position, I call Trinity and the admissions secretary tells me that they are having an Open House on January 5th. I'm like cool! I'll still be on vacation then, so I'll definitely go. Well I call to confirm on the 4th and they tell me the 5th is actually Instant Admission Day. All I need is my transcript. Plus, they waive the application fee on that special day! Well, I went and was admitted and registered all in the same day. I was there all of 20 minutes (LOL for the non-HBCU experience). Remember, this ALL took place in less than 2 weeks! Okay, before I end this I'm going to get deep on you guys for a minute.

If you read my 102 Things about myself, you will see that growing up I never thought about becoming a teacher. I didn't make that decision until the second semester of my sophomore year in college. My childhood was slightly fucked up so I knew that I wanted to have a job that would have a great impact on improving the lives of children. I thought about the people who really helped to make me what I am and I thought about my teachers in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. I even lived with my 4th grade teacher for 13 months. Shit was ridiculously crazy at home and mom sent me to school with a note asking if I could stay with her for two weeks and two weeks turned into a year and a month. So, I knew that in that position, I could definitely give back and support a child the way that I was supported. I went through a lot as a young child and adolescent and I am starting to believe that every single thing was for a greater purpose. Maybe all of the tears and all of the pain and hurt was so that I could use it to help somebody else! Maybe being a counselor is what my life's work is supposed to be! I know, it's a little dramatic for so early in the morning, but maybe I can help to make sure that another one of our 5th graders doesn't end up like the young lady I blogged about the other day.

Well, it's time to actually get some work done. I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful day! I'll holla lata...
D- Said It@ :: 7:17 AM :: 2 Said Something About It

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