In the brief time I’ve been here, there is a pervasive sense of family. It is apparent among the faculty and staff, and became more evident when the children arrived for our first day together.

I enjoyed my experience working with adult learners in the Navy, and wanted to continue working with young people after leaving the service. Having driven a school bus for half a year, I also realized that I would much prefer having the students in front of me than behind me in a large moving vehicle.

My goal as a teacher is to have students realize that learning at any age is an exciting experience. Being a non-traditional student most of my life, I appreciate much more the things I learned through experiences. I also hope that I help students understand that some of life’s best lessons happen when things do not necessarily go as planned. Failure, although it seems to have become something that some feel children should be sheltered from, can be a very important tool if a person realizes that there is something to be learned from the experience. Helping them through these times is something I learned working with young Sailors as they adjust to the challenges of military life.

So far, I made it through the first day……..