Never doubt the power of childhood as a formative time. I fell in love with learning as kid. I was surrounded by teachers and students in my family, and it certainly rubbed off.
I was probably 6 years old in this picture, wearing Daddy's earphones and writing at his desk. Think of the ear protection one would use on a shooting range. Dad used these to study in relative peace and quiet, and so that Michael and I wouldn't have to be complete churchmice.
While I was growing up, my dad was in school finishing first his Bachelor's and then his law degree, all the while working full-time and part-time jobs and raising a family. I have so much respect for how hard he and my mother worked in their 20's to juggle all of these responsibilities so well.
At 28 it's hard sometimes to realize how easy I've had it. All I've ever had to worry about is myself. Moreover, I feel this with the students I teach today, the ones like my parents who put their children before themselves and are now trying to juggle all those same responsibilities that I saw in my own family as a child.
I believe the experience probably lead me to focus on my education in my 20's, rather than marriage and children. And I'm pretty well convinced that my pursuit of an Ed.d in Adult Education is inextricable from this time 20+ years ago. More than anything though, I do believe it also helps me to be more compassionate toward my students. I have an infinite respect for them as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment