In 2020, I retired from my 34-year teaching career. It was a tough decision, but due to my parents' health needs, my own health needs with respect to the raging COVID epidemic, and my disagreement with how the epidemic was being handled in the school system where I taught, I thought it a good time to retire.
Upon retirement I responded to my parents' social/emotional and medical needs with the same gusto that I used towards teaching. I helped them to organize their house, attend their medical appointments, and gain a schedule of good care and good living. Like teaching, that work was not easy, but it was meaningful to me--it was the right thing to do.
After my mom passed and then another couple years of caring for dad, it was time to lessen my parent-care role and think about my life overall. My siblings stepped in and assumed more care for my dad, and after thinking about my life, I decided to teach again. That was a very good decision for many reasons.
First of all, I had gained tremendous teaching skill and ability throughout my many years as an educator, and to use those skills again not only felt good, but also served to help others. I loved that. Next, it was a stimulating choice--one aspect of teaching that I loved was the learning that goes hand-in-hand with teaching. That learning is intellectually stimulating and that made me happier and more interested and interesting. Also my new teaching position introduced me to new people and places who have enriched my life.
Before embarking on teaching again, I looked at many types of jobs. First I took a naturalist job at a local garden. That was terrific. Next I took the job I have now as a tutor in a public school system for students who cannot attend school for a number of reasons. I love that job as I'm able to help students learn in a wonderful setting. And now, I may sign on to another position which will find me engaging students in a hands-on summer math program. I love teaching math and I love working with students so it should be another win-win teaching endeavor.
Rather than volunteering, I like the structure and commitment entailed in a paid position. While my salary isn't great, the money is a nice addition which allows me to support a few causes and do a few things I wouldn't ordinarily be able to afford.
Now that I'm teaching again, I'm revisiting some of the work I did as an educator for 34 years. Most of the work I did is outlined in this blog, so I've decided to reignite the blog and will add new posts from time to time. It's nice to be teaching again. Onward.
