Thanks for listening

Time for me to share some background.

At nine years old I had my own personal classroom. In the garage. A roll-top desk and two redwood picnic benches.

As the oldest of six children in the late 1950's I was expected to be mommy's little helper. So all summer long I would 'teach' my students who had no chance for escape.

Unlike many of my friends heading to college, I always knew my destiny and it was easy to plan my route through college courses. However, in 1970 California EVERYONE wanted to be a teacher. Teacher application rejections papered apartment walls. What to do was on newly credentialed teacher minds.

An ad appeared in the newspaper relating the teacher shortage in Australia and so I pursued this prospect. With 350 other teachers, I sat on a Boeing 747 flying out of San Francisco to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Australia was a great adventure. Teaching grades 2/3 in a parochial school in the small town of St. Arnaud, Victoria allowed a true cultural Aussie experience. As a single young woman, the weekends were always an adventure from town hall dances to outdoor bonfires and grilling ‘on the barby.’ St Arnaud is about 10 miles from the big city of Melbourne and main street is only 3 blocks long. Most of the residents raise sheep and cattle. There is some wheat farming as well. Sunday drives in an open jeep reminded me of John Denver songs. Aussies love to party so as the ‘Yank” it was up to me to host an American Thanksgiving and they shared the Melbourne Cup experience with me, hat and gloves included. Soap Operas on TV were two years old so I could tantalize with secrets yet to be revealed. One holiday week several of us toured the wineries near Sydney. I savored every minute of my two years in Australia.

Returning home teaching jobs were still pretty scarce but I found one at a private school, San Dieguito Military Prep Academy, all boys in grades K-12. I taught a 5/6 combination class. While teaching there I met my future husband and at the end of the school year we married and moved to New Mexico. My new husband worked in oil and I only taught a 5/6 combination for a year and half before we began moving and raising our children.

Finally settling in California with our children entering school, I began my teaching journey again. Private school worked for us as I could be with my children from preschool to 8th grade at one site. Lots of opportunity allowed me to vary my teaching. I taught 6th grade, then 1st grade, then organized a new computer lab and created K-8 curriculum specifically for our school. I moved on the teach Algebra 1 and then to our sister high school to teach computer, drama and English classes. I also began teaching Yearbook and Journalism.

After 18 years in private education I moved on to public high school teaching English courses and Journalism/Yearbook until I retired for the first time.

Spending two years subbing, watching grandbabies, and tutoring I retired again, so to speak.

Following my passion, I returned to teaching in a part- time capacity at a charter high school. Again I was teaching English, Shakespeare, Yearbook and Journalism. Finally, I have retired AGAIN.

And now to begin this blog and working to create products to share with other teachers will be my new adventure!

Thank you for following my journey---Linda