"I am a retired teacher. I was a medical social worker for 7 years-- until my hospital closed; then I went back to teaching. I had taught in Catholic schools for 2 years before social work. When I returned to teaching, I worked in public schools for another 23 years. The last 10 years were in home instruction-- this meant visiting kids in their homes-- kids who could not attend their regular school for various reasons.

Home Instruction turned out to be the job that I enjoyed the most, probably because I got to know each student better than if he/she had been one of twenty students in a class. One-on-one instruction meant more attention for the student, but it also meant that the student could not daydream or not do their homework assignments. All in all, this meant that instruction time was more intense and more productive for the student, and more satisfying for me.

As a home instructor, I began teaching social studies: Global Studies I and II, U.S. History and Government, and electives; but there was also a need for English. As it turned out, I was more prepared than I initially thought. I organized the literature readings around themes that we touched on in social studies. I also tried to be process-oriented and emphasized ownership (especially in the writing process); to build-up; to emphasize accomplishment.

I just returned from Europe, where I walked the Camino de Santiago. I started in Vezelay in Burgundy, walked through France, through the Pyrenees, through northern Spain-- all the way to Compostela-- then I kept going to the Atlantic Ocean. About 2,500 miles altogether. My feet are still sore, but now I'm ready to help someone by doing a little teaching." less...