In the early 00’s, I was providing in home childcare. I had been contacted by Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) wondering if I would be willing to teach classes to other childcare providers. I jumped at the chance–after all, I had always wanted to be teacher. I went to a few training and started teaching classes and I loved it. Two years later the regional director for CCRR contacted me and said I probably would be phased out as a teacher because I didn’t have a degree in early childhood. I loved teaching so that prompted me to go back and get my AA degree. At the time, I was so fortunate that our area community college was offering a hybrid program allowing me to go to college mostly from home but stopping by and checking in periodically with my professors. It allowed me to keep working AND to go to college. It didn’t take long and before I knew it, I was finished, had my AA degree and was able to continue teaching the classes to child care providers that I love to teach.
Another shake down took place through CCRR and the person who told me I could no longer teach without my AA was demoted herself. Although she had a bachelors degree, it wasn’t in early childhood education. I’ll be honest…that made me smile a little as she wasn’t very nice to me when she told me I was going to be phased out. Lately I’ve been getting an itch to teach a little more but to do that, I think I would need to get my bachelors in early childhood education. Just for curiosity I looked into seeing where I could do it at. Amazingly I can do it online. For years and years I’ve always used the excuse that I couldn’t go back to college as it was just too far to drive. I wish the program would have been available 10 or 20 years ago. Now I no longer have the excuse…that is if I truly want to go back…but do I?? Right now, I lean towards no. I like what I’m doing. I am starting to teach a few quilting classes to guilds and that is fulfilling a little of that itch to teach more…but every so often I hear that little voice to go back to college. At this point, I don’t think I’m going, but if something happens to Hubby or if I change my mind, I am comforted knowing that there are options out there that would help me advance in the education career field. Just knowing the college options are there gives me a little piece of mind. You can bet when I am teaching continuing education classes to childcare providers, I’m going to let them know that in the education field things are changing…there are online options now. For now, I am going to try to be content with the jobs I have…being the mom and wife, quilting, blogging, teaching and my free early learning printables website Making Learning Fun.
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Just as another note, my daughter has gone back to get her degree after being out of school for 12 years. She is doing it all online from Thomas Edison University. I am so proud of her for taking this up again. Here is their website. http://www.tesc.edu/
I believe that teachers not only teach, but inspire. You provide a lot of inspiration to your blog readers, not only by your quilting tips and patterns, but your recipes and family life,
and your charitible activities. Thanks for sharing.
Jo, you’ve written an excellent essay on the importance of continuing one’s education. A few lines beneath it, there is an advertisement from a for-profit company. Even though you have neither endorsed nor disassociated yourself from the advertisement, or even mentioned the name of the company, when you allow this or any organization to occupy your blog-space, there is a certain co-mingling of reputations regarding present and past activities. Watch out! Now might be an excellent time to re-think your policy in this regard.
Best wishes.
Jo, if you can get your degree online, i for one would encourage you to do so, even if it’s only one class at a time.
A long time ago i heard a speaker say “If something is worth doing starting tomorrow, then don’t wait for tomorrow–start NOW!” and he was right.
there is a lot to be said for following a good impulse and taking that first step toward our goals. The first step itself never gets any easier, but the longer we put it off, the less likely that the first step will ever be taken.