Teaching Later in Life

 A few years ago my retail career ended. I had been in customer service/retail for 23 years. I started with Southwest Airlines, and ended up in the running industry. I loved most of those experiences. What I found I was good at was establishing relationships. The key to good service is the relationship you form with the customer, any customer. 

Here I was, in 2018, 56 years old, and wondering what to do. I thought about my life. I thought about what I had wanted to do, and what I still wanted to do. I thought back to when I was five and wanted to be an actor. What was true then, would be true now, I don't have the stomach for rejection, which a lot of acting is. 

My thoughts took me to Bradford Woods. Bradford Woods is an outdoor educational facility owned by Indiana University. The year was 1985. I was struggling. The year before I had been raped, I was about to be kicked out of school, and I floundered, looking for a summer job. I got hired at Bradford Woods. 

During the summer, Bradford Woods offers camps to adults and children with various disabilities. I had never worked with disabled people. My mom was not too thrilled about it. I think she thought I would get some horrible disease, or catch a disability. Still I was pretty proud of myself to be a counselor at the camp.

You need to understand I was THAT gay who thought camping was either performing in a drag show, or roughing it at Holiday Inn. I had to help campers with daily living skills, get them to and from activities, put on shows, paddle a canoe, pitch a tent(I broke the stakes), make food over a fire - I was BUTCH for the summer.

I loved it. I loved the kids. I adored the adults. I made friends. I had the time of my life. Who cares what I made, I was living a dream with these folks. 

It would be another year or so before I would try college again. After a second summer at Bradford Woods, I headed back to IU with a purpose. I was going to be a special education teacher. 

Once on campus I headed to the Special Education Dept., and spoke to the head of the program. She listened to me as I told her about the joy I felt working with special populations, and what I wanted to  do with my life. She smiled. She smiled one of those condescending smiles, like she was about to pat me on my head, and send me on my way. That is what she did. She told me, "I'm sorry but men are not compassionate enough to be special education teachers." I was crest fallen. 

Being a stupid 20something, I walked away from that meeting feeling empty, and wondered what I would do with my life. I figured, well she should know if I am compassionate enough. I was an idiot. Of course I was compassionate enough. 

As I thought about my new career path in 2019, I thought about proving that woman wrong. I had heard my sister tell me the stories of how difficult it was to make sure my niece Sabrina got a good education. Surely I could do something.

Age was not my friend on this. I had the "I'm not getting any younger" talk with myself. Was it fair to go back to school and pile on student debt, especially as I never had any student debt? Screw it....I did it. I got my degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, and set out to teach. 

I teach a classroom of children with Autism. I work with kids, ages 11-14. I teach, counsel, parent, scold, cheer, hug, dry tears, deal with parents(good and bad), work on tons of paperwork, and try to provide the best education and be the best advocate I can for these kids.

My skills in relationship building has made me successful in the eyes of some. It sure isn't my math abilities. My skills with dealing with difficult customers has come in handy(I'm looking at you helicopter parents). My living life has given me the patience, the knowledge, and the understanding of others to be a success. While I wish I had gone into teaching earlier, THIS was the time I was meant to be teaching. 

I'm not the normal newish teacher. I am now 62. My time is ticking. I don't have time to deal with crap in education. I plow ahead. My style is a bit old school, but I don't care. I am flexible enough to try new things, listen to more seasoned teachers and adapt. But I know my career has an end, and I am going to teach every damn minute I can, until I can't anymore. 

If you are in your 50s or 60s, and you are wondering what you have left to offer, really do some soul digging. Don't let the age you are stop you. Do what you want. This is it folks. This is the only life we get(though I like the idea of reincarnation). So if you don't; do it now, when WILL you do it. Get off your butt and get out there. 

You don't have to teach, go be what you dream to be. Don't let obstacles get in your way. As the folks at Nike say.....Just Do It!!!