The epiphany

Sometimes things just hit me like a ton of bricks. The "Ah-ha!" moment. The clarion call. The epiphany.

The bricks fell on my head last night.

I was wringing my hands over my unemployment, and looking once again at every possible job out there in our city and beyond that I could even possibly do. I even started filling out an application for a police clerk when I erased my information and went back to the classifieds again.

I then went back to look at the subbing work offered in our county's public school system. I had already sent out a request for my college diploma and transcripts from Biola so I could apply as a substitute, but the job had seemed too low in pay and too fraught with problems. (Substitute teachers do not have a great reputation.) But I got to thinking about how I could make a good substitute, but I could make an even better teacher. I have a certain amount of experience with homeschooling, Bible study teaching, Sunday school teaching. I've always been a bit of a grammar geek. I even like math. I just like school. To me, school is an interesting endeavor.

As I looked into being a Georgia teacher, I was amazed to find out that because I already have a BA, I simply need to be certified, and I could even start as a teacher NOW while in the process of certification. Whether or not our county has openings for me and whether or not this may be what I'm meant to do, I still don't know.

To all my praying readers -- PRAY -- Please! I know so many of you have been praying for me anyway, and I'm so thankful. I'm really excited about the possibilities of a teaching career. It just seems to "click" in my mind as a do-able opportunity. I would even be home when the kids are on vacation, and home fairly soon after they are home from school.

I have an avid interest in teaching middle or high school students, although if you twisted my arm, I suppose I'd be okay with elementary age students. It's just that the older kids seem to be a more interesting challenge.

I was talking to the older kids about all of this on the way to church this morning.

Kathleen immediately piped up, "Just don't teach at MY school!" (Gotta love middle school kids!)

Keri Lynn wanted to know what I would teach, and she thought I should teach English. Kristofer thoroughly agreed. Kathleen was still worried that I'd go to her school and ruin her life.

I'm going to speed up the process tomorrow, and get the diploma and transcipts faxed if they haven't been mailed already, so I can send them off with my application. Then, I need to go track down my reference people so they can send in a written reference. One of my references happens to be Associate Superintendent of our county's school, so that will be kind of handy, I think. I also plan to talk to several teacher friends to get the skinny on certification.

And tonight I'll go to sleep with visions of white erase boards and apples on my desk . . .