Wow, that was an inspiring read. I had never connected your PhD journey to teaching as being connected to a larger and generational narrative. My two best friends in high school were both laser focused on reading glasses and big horn sheep. Um, bighorn sheep? She got a PhD in bighorn sheep, the other an optometrist. Me? No clue. But I have another friend in her fifties who spent her whole career in international corporate finance who wanted to teach the next generation of accountants and was rejected completely. It was going to be her dream retirement job. I think it’s really weird we don’t let qualified people teach.
Jan, I can relate to your story on several levels. I am an ordained United Methodist clergy person. I spent 30 years as a pastor but not until I was 59 years old did I pursue my Ph.D. It’s a crazy story from that point on!
I am late in reading this and yet timing is always perfect, isn’t it? I went to university to become a teacher of Deaf students. I wanted to be an interpreter, but at that time there were only programs in technical colleges. My final teaching internship was at the state school for the deaf. Only the more advanced students got this placement. I hated it! Lived on campus. Locked myself in my room and cried nightly.
Fast forward now to my 61st year. Through all the twists and turns of life, yesterday I found myself interpreting at the very same school. There was never a job I was more qualified for than yesterday’s; I interpreted for a supervising teacher evaluating a (Deaf) student teacher in her senior year. I left that job smiling and wonder-filled. Life. What a journey.
Wow, that was an inspiring read. I had never connected your PhD journey to teaching as being connected to a larger and generational narrative. My two best friends in high school were both laser focused on reading glasses and big horn sheep. Um, bighorn sheep? She got a PhD in bighorn sheep, the other an optometrist. Me? No clue. But I have another friend in her fifties who spent her whole career in international corporate finance who wanted to teach the next generation of accountants and was rejected completely. It was going to be her dream retirement job. I think it’s really weird we don’t let qualified people teach.
What a long strange trip it's been.
So much to unpack from your amazing life story, but I'll start here:
I was so blessed some fifty+ years ago to fall into a summer job that became a lifelong career.
It turned out I would be particularly well-suited for all aspects of the work itself, and it involved much interaction with people.
Love it all and plan to keep at it til I can't.
Jan, I can relate to your story on several levels. I am an ordained United Methodist clergy person. I spent 30 years as a pastor but not until I was 59 years old did I pursue my Ph.D. It’s a crazy story from that point on!
I am late in reading this and yet timing is always perfect, isn’t it? I went to university to become a teacher of Deaf students. I wanted to be an interpreter, but at that time there were only programs in technical colleges. My final teaching internship was at the state school for the deaf. Only the more advanced students got this placement. I hated it! Lived on campus. Locked myself in my room and cried nightly.
Fast forward now to my 61st year. Through all the twists and turns of life, yesterday I found myself interpreting at the very same school. There was never a job I was more qualified for than yesterday’s; I interpreted for a supervising teacher evaluating a (Deaf) student teacher in her senior year. I left that job smiling and wonder-filled. Life. What a journey.