BLOG INTRO

Disclaimer/Warning: I will get wordy in this blog and go on and on forever. I will try and include a few short blogs, I promise. This will not be one of those.

About me: I have worked in education for 8 or 9 years and in that time I have worked as....(in no particular order)
1. Summer school teacher, Science grades 3-6
2. Tutor (all subjects), grades K-12
3. Summer School teacher, Math grades 3-6
4. Long term sub grade 6 math
5. Substitute (not long term) grades K-12 in 3 districts
6. Long Term sub grade 5
7. Long term sub Alternative Ed/Continuation Ed, Science, PE, Computers
8. Grade 5 teacher. Twice, one year each, different schools and districts
9. High school English teacher, Grades 10-12 and then in that same year, 9th was added on.
10. High school CAHSEE prep, Advisory, Debate teacher for grade 9
11. Administrator, grades K-12 working with all the data, assessments, training of staff in data driven instruction, WASC, Admin, and district team extraordinare/who to bring in to meetings who knows what she's talking about and seems impressive.
12. Independent study/Home school teacher grades K-12
13. Adult ed ESL teacher

Hmm I think thats it.

I also worked three summers in college, daycare ages 2-5, daycare ages 5-12, and daycare ages 2-5 on a Native Canadian-American reservation, and I was a "conversational partner" to help Korean and Japanese Uni. students aquire conversational English.

I also love learning so after my BA in Sociology I obtained my Multiple Subject Credential. Then my Secondary English Credential. And then a credential and MA in Educational Administration. At some point I want a PhD...not an EdD but PD but haven't found what I want the PhD concentration to be, plus I don't have the time (I'm a brand-spanking-new mother) or money...I have probably almost $100k in student loans to pay back already. Such is the price of a piece of paper proclaiming your wisdom.

About my Blog: Ok so first....I NEVER wanted to work in education. My mom and her three sisters did and I just though, yuck. I wanted to blaze my own career path. Besides, I HATED school and had thought of dropping out, but knew that was impractical. I still HATE education. wait no I hate SCHOOL. I love learning, almost too much. I am always "googling" any and all curiosities and exploring the world intellectually. I love love love love love learning and almost get a "high" from new knowledge.

I think school kills this "high" and I feel more kids want to learn than we think. Some of them don't even know they want to learn because our culture and educational institutions kill this desire before they even know it exists. Our education is focused in all the wrong directions because interest groups, politicians, corporations dictate it be that way. There IS a "big brother" or "conspiracy" at hand here. Those in charge don't want a million Einsteins, Jeffersons, Franklins, running around. But more on that later. Our education system keeps perpetuating a broken system, and throwing more money and bureaucracy at it will not fix it. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity, so said Einstein. And our educational system is insanity.

I want it fixed. Some how some way, I want to be a mover and shaker. I want to work my way up the system, become "one of them", a decision maker, and be one, perhaps the only one, with a voice for the people, for the children, for our minds and our future. Watch out world, here I come.