YES, We CAN!

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Responsibility, leadership and caring for others have been part of my life since the age of ten.  Growing up in Oakland, California I was the oldest of two children.   My father was disabled in the Korean War.  My mother had only a sixth grade education and was a poor reader. Since I was an early reader and dictionary user, Mom depended upon me to assist her in reading matters concerning veterans' dependent benefits. Most of my early years were spent visiting Dad in VA hospitals.  Even at this early age, I was accustomed to taking charge in making decisions.  My brother would say I was just a big bossy sister!  Even when he grew to be 6 feet, 2 inches, I still tried to tell them what to do! On weekends when my mother had to work, it was my responsibility to take my brother by bus to visit my dad.  I would even question the nurses and doctors about my dad?s progress in the same manner I had observed my mother ask.  Then I would admonish Daddy about his chain smoking! 

Mom worked the graveyard shift as a nurse?s aide to help supplement my father?s benefits.   I had to stay up until 11:00 PM to make sure she got up in time to leave for work.  By the time she arrived home the next morning I would have my brother up and having breakfast.  If she worked a double shift, I would make sure we got off to school on time and closed up the house.  Nowadays, people would probably call this child abuse. But my brother and I were always neatly dressed and prepared for school.  We seldom missed a day of school!

I was the chief babysitter for the family because I was the oldest grandchild by thirteen years!  My aunt taught me how to sterilize bottles and make formula, take temperatures and put on cloth diapers.  On occasion, I had to take my little cousin for a checkup and shots because my aunt was running late from work.  I can recall a beautiful San Francisco Bay Area on which I bundled up the baby and took her by bus to the doctor!  By the time my aunt arrived, the baby had been seen by the doctor, had her shots and we were sitting and waiting for her!

Teachers have always served as key role models for me. But one of my favorite teachers was my twelfth grade government teacher Mr. Rothman. He always lovingly called us his hamburgers.  One week I missed his class for two days because of my responsibility in orchestrating a class activity.  Because of this, I missed the review for a test.  When Mr. Rothman handed back my test with a ?C? instead of my usual ?A?, his comment was, ?Miss Hamburger, student government will have to run without you, if your grade falls like that again.?  Although all my grades were ?A?s? following that ?C,? I only received a ?B? for the quarter.  Mr. Rothman had explained at the very beginning that an ?A? in his class meant an ?A? all across the grade book.  Mr. Rothman always set the standards high.  He encouraged his ?hamburgers? to strive for the top!  He talked to all of us as is there was no question that we were going to college.  I was an honor student, held several student body and class offices, cheerleader, and running back for our senior girls? powder puff football game.  Later in college, I was a cheerleader, active in sports, and Homecoming Queen during my senior year.

After graduation from college with a BA in Sociology, I married my high school sweetheart, and left California to head for Oklahoma for 6 months for him to participate in Federal Aviation Administration training courses related to his job.  I had no idea I would one day return to Oklahoma to stay and become a classroom teacher!   My original career objective was to become a juvenile probation and parole officer.

With the birth of my children and moving with my husband?s job, I became a full-time homemaker and chief volunteer at our church and in the community.  By the time my children were old enough to be in school all day, we were living in Chicago (after a short stop in Seattle for my husband to earn his Master?s Degree).  I soon decided it was time to make some decisions about my career, since up to this point I never really had a chance to get started.  I didn?t want to work too far from home because of the Chicago winters and wind; and we didn?t have relatives in Chicago so I didn?t want to be too far away if my children needed me.  My children were accustomed to having me very near.  My husband?s job was 45 minutes to and hour from home even in good weather!

Divine intervention is what led me to my first job in education.  The church my family was attending in Chicago met at a middle school not far from our home.  With the exception of one year at a 5^th year center, I have always taught at the middle school level, even during my student teaching.  One Sunday while chatting with another church member in front of the office bulletin board, I happened to spot the district ?job listings.?  I zeroed in on a job listing for an LD teacher?s aide (even though I had no idea what ?LD? meant!).  The application date had already closed.  Nevertheless, I called the principal the following Monday to see if the job had been filled.  The principal informed me that the position was still available.  Thank God!  He set up an interview for me.  After an interview with the principal and the classroom teacher, they hired me on the spot!!

After working a few weeks, the teacher who was sponsor for the cheerleaders tried out for the Chicago Bears cheerleading squad and made it and would not be able to continue her responsibilities as the cheerleader sponsor.  The principal asked me if I would be the new sponsor.  So I said, ?OK!!?

My experience at Hubert Humphrey Middle School began my education journey of learning how to prepare individual lesson plans; administer diagnostic assessment instruments; evaluate student progress; develop skills to work in a multi-graded classroom; work with teachers in a team teaching situation; develop communication skills with students, parents, teachers, and administrators; develop discipline techniques; and create a positive learning environment for students.

All too soon, it was time to leave Chicago (again, due to my husband?s job) and move back to Oklahoma.  A very dear friend, who lived alone, invited my family to live with her until we found a home.  She lived right around the corner from Buchanan Elementary School, so my husband and I went to enroll our boys in school.  During the time my husband was completing the enrollment forms, I asked the principal?s secretary where I might find the job listings for the district.  Once again, I zeroed in on a job listing for an ED classroom aide (again, not knowing what ?ED? meant either!).  The principal?s secretary directed me to the Board where I interviewed with Linda Brown, who at that time was in classified personnel services.  She sent me to Page-Woodson Fifth Year Center to interview with Principal Jack Bloomer and Teresa Hanley, the classroom teacher.  I left felling as though it was a good interview and by the time I arrived home, they had called say I had the job!

Having been bitten by whatever bug bites newly-motivated educators, I enrolled in graduate school in order to obtain my certification in education and my Master?s Degree in Education.  The rest of the story: twenty-five years of having a great time touching lives of children with caring, enthusiasm, and laughter.