Becoming a Teacher

Wow! The day has finally arrived. I'm starting my first week of the Teacher Credential Program here at Vanguard. It's crazy how they gave use homework before we even started class! It was tough getting my academic mind back (but the winter break is definitely easier to get over than summer!) One of the assignments we had this first week was our story of how we get to where we are...preparing to be a teacher! So, though it's kinda long, I wanted to share it with everyone. I hope it encourages you to pursue God's calling in your life, with no reservations and delays. So, here's my story, the catalysts for my new career.

As I started my own family, my perspective about life has changed over the years. Priorities have shifted from planning for me to coordinating for my whole family! Every decision that I make affects my husband and my children. For that reason, whenever I come to a crossroad of decision, I have to lift that need to God, especially when I decided to pursue becoming a teacher. Having said that, God brought three major factors that greatly influenced me taking the first step in this new career: my son Jeremiah, the book Revolution, and the Graduate Information Meeting.

After a year of being a mom to Jeremiah, I have read quite a few articles on how important the first seven years of childhood are in shaping who the child becomes. During those times, I remember different events in my life as a pre-schooler and early elementary-age student that made a lasting impact on my life. Then, I realize that I should not depend on others to teach my child, I need to be my child's first teacher! Whether he's learning his ABC's and 123's or learning his manners and how to share with others. At first, I wanted to go to school for early childhood education, but another event redirected my course.

At the beginning of 2008, I was reading the book Revolution by Dr. Mike Brown, a revivalist that trains up the next generation of prophetic leaders. In the first few chapters, he was giving a brief, general and personal account of the Jesus People Movement that occurred in the 60's and how it spread throughout the nation and evidently throughout the world. There, he strategically points out that before the revival hit his high school, students in his public school, in collaboration with their teachers, were able to create new ways of "doing school" - transforming the everyday classroom routines with interactive, free-flowing activities. (This method of school operation is very similar to the constructivist perspective of student-centered teaching. However, their new school system had absolutely no structure.) At this point, as Dr. Brown was enumerating the events on how these changes took place, I saw that God used the rebelliousness of teenagers back then to usher in revival in the public school system. Usually, students would just get high on drugs during class but, as one student after another experienced God in the most transforming way, their free-flow class schedule gave way for many students and teachers to know Jesus and be changed in their ways.

As he was speaking on these matters, I began to cry because God opened my eyes to see that the only way to change a nation is to start with its youth- starting with their families and then reinforcing these ideas into their school. My spirit was so stirred up. At that point I knew- without a doubt- God was calling me to be a teacher. Honestly, I was both frightened and excited. Frightened because I knew I had to take many exams and go through a very tedious process to become a teacher, but excited because I love going to school and learning new things, plus working with children and youth are one of my life's passions. I understand that as a teacher I will be unable to speak directly to the students about Jesus, but hopefully through my actions they would feel God's love for them and make a difference in their lives in that way.

Though I did not act on this career change immediately, God sent me a big "road sign" to do it as soon as possible. I heard Vanguard University's advertisement on the radio about an information meeting about the school's various graduate programs (attending the meeting waives the application fee which motivated me to go). In that meeting, I realized that this program was the program for me. Though I was considering other programs, God directed my focus back to my alma matter.

Now, having finished one semester, God is revealing more pieces to the puzzle of how I am supposed to go about this new career. The program is challenging, but the whole experience is inspiring. I know that as I follow God's calling for me life and walk in Christ's confidence, He will equip me to accomplish my mission to the future school I'll be serving, to the ministries I'm involved in and especially to the family he has given me.