Hello, I’m Bonnie, a second-grade teacher in a small mountain town in Montana.
My journey to becoming a teacher was not a straight path. More of a meandering wander through a few careers until I found the right fit.
To begin, I love all things techie and that love affair began with my first job out of college with CompuServe. Those were exciting times! Modems, dial-up, and email were all just coming on the scene, no wireless anything and cell phones were the size of bricks. I loved that job and moved across the country from my native California to Pennsylvania with the company. Those were fun times and seeing the seasons for the first time for a California native was beyond amazing.
Next, still in Account Management, I moved to London to work for a British firm and stayed there for five years. I was so in love with the city, and the culture I thought I would never return. Then, 911 happened and even with all the technological advances, I felt very very far away from my family in the U.S. I stayed to finish my five-year contract, gained dual citizenship and returned to the U.S.
This is the view from the top floor of the Tate Modern Museum which was across from my office in London.
I followed my sister and her husband and ended up in Montana to this small ski resort town with a then population of 5,000. This was quite a culture shock coming from a city of 8 million people. I have since adjusted and have been here now for 14 years, wait, what?! that was fast!
It was here in Montana that I went back to school to earn my teaching degree. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that it is too late to try something new, I began teaching when I was in my 50’s, yep! When I thought about going back to school I asked opinions of a few folks and heard some interesting responses. First I heard that I wouldn’t be a good teacher because I didn’t have any children of my own. Yes, they really said that.
Truth, other people do not always know what is best for you, believe in yourself and go for it!
Next, the reply that has stuck with me for many years. They said, “Well, the time is going to go by anyway so you may as well have something to show for it.” Such good advice. I have told this story to two others who replied with similar stories. One was a successful pharmacist who decided to become a radiologist and the other an accountant who decided to go to medical school and become an anesthesiologist.
Finally, I have found where I am meant to be and love the exhausting, glorious mess that elementary teaching entails.
I am here to share what has worked for me, and what has not. I promise to be honest with you #reallife all day, every day. Collaborating with other educators, creating resources for my classroom, traveling and exploring new places, creating an engaging and student-led environment, these are the things that I am passionate about.
Well, that’s it in a nutshell, a short summary of the meandering path that has led me to teaching. This is where I was always meant to be, and although it took a while to get here, I wouldn’t change that path.
Quite the difference, heh?! Wouldn’t change it for the world.
Welcome to my little corner of cyberspace, I’m so glad you’re here.
