Prologue - new beginnings.

Good Morning,

To start us off, you can call me R. I don't mind.
Call me by my real name if you'd like, but really... you'll likely butcher it.

Anyway....I am a blogger, and have been blogging for almost 7 to 8 years (back when Xanga got us all hooked). So, my other blog is silly/poetic/serious a whole jumble of things.

I've been having these serious conversations about the education system in America and really it's been depressing as heck. So much potential just flushed down the toilet. My sister, who also is a teacher suggested writing about teaching; she said, "R, why don't you write a book about teaching and the advantages/challenges you face, especially because you are so close to the age of your students...." and 4 years later, I'm not going to write a book, but start a blog.

So, before I start blogging on teaching non-stop... I'll tell you a little about myself:
I am currently 23 years old. I started teaching middle school and high school social studies when I was 19. I did this for a year and I realized I had a PASSION for teaching. What I wanted to do (with my BA in political science) at that point, was unclear. But taking a year off from school and teaching was an amazing experience, which you may discover from future posts.

When I thought about my favorite professors and teachers in school, they were always the ones who CHALLENGED me. I mean, really got me thinking, working, reflecting, wanting to meet their standards. It was my professors at UMB who really made me consider teaching and so I did it for a year, before venturing off into graduate school. It was these amazing educators who influenced me to pass the baton on, and maybe encourage others to learn and teach as well. But despite these kick butt professors, I also have a legacy of teachers in my family. My parents, my siblings (except one brother), many of my aunts and uncles are educators of some way, shape, or form. I find it intriguing that I never had considered it until a whim decision to take a year off and teach at a school that needed a social studies teacher.

Fast-forward 3 years later, with a masters in political science and work in research (sadly not teaching), I was getting edgy without a classroom, without the books, without ability to facilitate discussions and thoughts. I finally got accepted into our TA program and I started teaching American Government; a freshman require course at the university where I am completing my PhD. I am considered a Teaching Assistant, but really I have my own class, my own syllabus, my own book, my own resources... I'm assisting no one but myself and the students. So, for me, I may not be professor, but I do consider myself a person learning/training to be an educator.

So, I am a young teacher (if I may be so bold to call myself that), with only my experiences and the advice of others to guide me. But I love what I do, and decided maybe I can teach the world about learning/teaching, and maybe the world can give me some pointers as well.

I started this blog so I could post on a specific topic. But I'm going to save it in my next post. ^___^

HELLO!