So why did I pick teaching? Well, I am one of the lucky ones since I knew already at age seven what I wanted to be when I grew up. We had moved into Grand Island the summer before my second grade year and when fall arrived I was the new kid in class. Our class was huge---40 students to be exact. It was the biggest class in the school, but the principal said second grade is always big and then it drops off. Well…..ours never really did so the teacher couldn’t get around to everyone that needed math help. So I volunteered. She graciously accepted my offer and I realized already at this young age that this was what I was destined to be! I loved teaching my classmates and the kids really appreciated the extra help. I could speak the same language as they did if you know what I mean. Then in my senior year at GISH I was offered my next fantastic opportunity. As a teacher’s aide I was given a small group of six sophomore students that struggled with English and created a curriculum that was more on their level. My teacher, Mr. Kral, bless his heart, definitely believed in my abilities and just monitored what we were studying. I got to plan, check papers, and grade the class and he went with my decisions. Later on that semester I was given the opportunity to do the placement of these students for next year. After asking me if I felt justified in moving one of the students up to a more advanced class, he made the recommendation. She was placed in the level above and was successful! Wow, what an experience! Next, tutoring middle schoolers math while at UNL was the clincher. I definitely wanted to teach math in the middle even though some people who first meet me ask why would you want to teach math and that age level? Some say I am crazy (which after teaching this age group for years they are probably a little right) and others say bless you! But I can honestly say that I made the perfect decision----I love Math and Middle School is where it is happening!