Apr
12
Written by:
shines-2
4/12/2010 8:14 PM
During a Career and Technical Education meeting today at Education Service Center XI, I became aware that my quest for education is unique and some find it interesting. As we explored the reasons behind the College and Career Readiness Standards in Texas, we shared a bit of personal history on our education journey. Here is my story.
I was sitting in one of my last graduate classes and the professor, Mike Sacken, asked us to raise our hands if we were the first generation to graduate with a masters. I raised my hand. Then he asked us to raise our hand if we were the first generation to graduate with a bachelors. I raised my hand again, with fewer classmates. He stopped there and I raised my hand again. I said, "You stopped too soon. Why didn't you ask us to raise our hand if were a first generation high school graduate?" Then I raised my hand. I have intelligent parents and I never wanted for anything. My father was a hard worker and a good provider, but he did it without a high school diploma. He has since, at the age of 80, received his diploma from Spur High School. That was a proud day!
In high school, I was an average student who looked for the easy way and enjoyed being with my friends and singing in choir. I graduated and have no memory of ever speaking with a counselor about my options. I knew I wanted to go to college, but there was little or no pressure from my parents to do so. My father told me he would pay for college if I attended Tarrant County Junior College, but if I wanted to attend Texas Christian University (which I did) or any other private college, I was on my own. I worked full time while attending TCJC for a year and then decided to get married. I knew that someday I would attend TCU, but I wasn't sure when or how. Then we moved away to Colorado and I wondered if my dream of attending TCU would every happen. Three years and one child later we moved back to Texas. After both my girls started school, I started going to TCJC again.
One day, the principal of the private school, Jane Martin, requested a meeting. I couldn't image what my girls had done, since they had never been in trouble before. At the meeting, I nearly fell out of my chair when she asked me to teach the 7th graders in computer. You need to understand that teaching was on my list of things never to be when I grew up. I loved school, I just wasn't interested in teaching it. I agreed to try it and found out that I loved it. I changed my studies from computer programming to education and graduated with my AA degree from TCJC. I would never have been interested in teaching if Jane Martin had not seen my potential. Bless you Jane.
I still wanted to attend TCU, but my husband kept telling me we couldn't afford it. He agreed to support me and help around the house, if I found a way to pay for it. I think he only agreed, because he thought I couldn't do it! I applied for scholarships, grants and loans and registered for my first semester at TCU with them giving me money! I graduated from TCU, Summa Cum Laude in 1991 (30 years after I started first grade) and spent the next nine wonderful years teaching curious elementary students in Birdville ISD. In 2001, I graduated from TCU with my masters. In a later post, I'll write about how I managed to graduate with my master's degree without taking out any loans.