Skip to main content

Speech! Speech! Speech!

Below is the draft I submitted for my speech. Hopefully I won't have to make too many changes!
***************************************************

We all have many names. T. is the one given to me at birth from my parents. Other names include: sister, friend, student, Coach, and my personal favorites, wife and mom. You may be wondering what being a wife and mother of 3 ½ small children have to do with taking classes here at (insert college name). To be quite honest, my husband and children have greatly influenced my decision to pursue my education.

In high school, I applied for and received a full scholarship to attend a local university upon graduation. For personal reasons, I declined the scholarship and instead enlisted in the United States Air Force as an airplane mechanic. To say my family was upset with my decision is an understatement! The September following my high school graduation, I left small town Ohio and headed to Texas for Basic Training, then shortly thereafter I was stationed in California.
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher from a young age. However, it wasn’t until I volunteered with Special Olympics while I was still in high school that I knew I wanted to teach special education. I actually began taking college courses while a senior in high school, but once I left home and joined the Air Force, my college career was put on hold.

I met my husband while in the Air Force, and after we had been married for a little more than 3 years, we welcomed our first child into the world. It was then that the name “teacher” took a more significant role in my life. Prior to having my own children, I did not fully grasp the responsibility that goes along with being a teacher. I understood the importance of being a positive role model, but it was a limited knowledge since I did not have first-hand experience. My son changed all that!

Once I had my own children, I realized the responsibility I had as their mother. Not just in their physical well-being, but in all aspects of their development: social, emotional, spiritual, and educational. If I want my children to grow into responsible adults, I need to model it for them now. There’s an old adage, “Do what I say, not what I do” that many of us have heard and perhaps even said to others. But, we know as educators, that is not the case. Children will emulate what we do because they look up to us and want to be like us; it’s only natural. I want my children to value their education, so of course that means I need to show them the value in education. I really had no choice BUT to go back to school!

Like many other nontraditional students, it has taken me several years to complete this degree in special education. By receiving these scholarships, some of the financial burden that goes with taking courses has been eased. We are grateful for the many opportunities to share our insight as nontraditional students afforded to us from some of our professors, especially those in the COE. And, because of the support received from family, and of course the professors at (insert college name), we will be graduating soon. In graduating, we are modeling many important skills for our children, whether they are in our classrooms or in our homes: the necessity of finishing what one starts; the link between hard work, determination, and success; and to never give up despite the obstacles and challenges that are presented.

Soon, we will be all able to add teacher to our list of names, and that is one that we will hold dear because of the sweat equity that was put into earning it.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday Thirteen #3

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 jobs I have held. . . 1. Special Olympics Swim Coach Best job ever and very rewarding! 2. Preschool/Youth swim instructor My first job (I volunteered until I got hired on at the Y, then I was paid.) 3. Lifeguard This was my first paid job. 4. Crew Chief/aircraft mechanic on the KC-10 I loved it- I saw the world on this plane and pushed myself the farthest mentally and physically I ever have or ever will again. Of course I missed my family and friends, but if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. 5. Debrief personnel I talked with aircrews after they landed about their flight/mission. I learned the logistical side of flying. 6. Tool Crib personnel I gave the mechanics tools for various jobs needed to fix the airplane. I also inventoried and ordered new tools, and that was fun. Until this job, I had no idea that tool companies have a representative drive around in a truck full of tools for people to use and try. It was during t...

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 Reasons to live in SC. . . 1. Mild winters- it only snows about 1 time per year (unless, of course, you live in the mountains, although I don’t know how much snow even falls there). The average temperature hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold day, it may drop into the low 40s. On a really cold day, it may be in the 30s, but those are few and far between. 2. Hot summers- summer is my favorite time of year. I love to swim, as do my kids, so we spend a lot of time in our pool. We also like to travel to the beach (we went 3 times last summer!) 3. Friendly people- most everyone waves as you drive down the street. Also, gathering in the warm summer evenings on the front porch is common and a great way to meet new people. 4. Sweet tea- I know you can get this in any Southern state, but I live in SC and that’s why it’s on my list! 5. Peaches and Strawberries- these are the main fruits grown in the part of the state where I reside. I love fr...

6 years in 10 minutes

It has been almost 3 years since my youngest was born, and about that same time, my life drastically changed. My older children at the time were 14, 12, 10, 8, and 7. My oldest was finally old enough and responsible enough to babysit. Now, to be clear, I didn't leave all of the children with him, but it was nice to be able to run errands and not have to take EVERYONE. That little fact was seriously life-changing. Additionally, my older children had acquired more responsibility at home in terms of life skills: they did (still do!) their own laundry, keep up with their rooms, can prepare full meals, and a host of other skills 100% independently. It took so long to get to that point, though, and the time between me being 100% responsible to them being fully responsible was the hard part. Like seriously, if you read back through my previous posts, you will see the struggles I openly shared as a mom and wife. Life ain't easy! And that brings us to now. 2020. My oldest i...