In 1985, I left one career and began another. I moved from a clerical career to a teaching career.
After one year in the Mills College graduate teacher training program I graduated and obtained my teaching credential.
Following graduation I substitute taught in the West Contra Costa USD while applying for a teaching position in the Oakland USD.
In August 1986, I obtained a bilingual Spanish teaching position and taught 2nd grade Hispanic students for four year and Hispanic English-only students for an additional year.
In June 1991, I left teaching for a year to pursue other careers. AS nothing worthwhile materialized I re-entered the teaching profession as a substitute teacher. Besides substitute teaching I taught as a PE prep teacher for five weeks.
In May 1992, I contracted a debilitating form of arthritis which crippled me and put me on crutches. I tried to return to a regular classroom in September 1992 but it became clear after a month that I could not teach while on crutches.
I was on disability for a year before trying something else.
For four years I sought host families for visiting students from mostly France, Spain and Brazil. I enjoyed this very much, but it did not pay very well. Near the end of doing these, I applied for and was accepted to be a chaperone for 21 high school Spanish language students who were to spend a month in a family in northern Spain. I supervised their placements and handled any problems that arose. Thankfully, this was only a few.
In 1998, I resumed substitute teaching in a number of Districts: West Contra Costa, Vallejo, San Ramon Valley, Mt. Diablo, Walnut Creek, Piedmont, and San Francisco. It was very rewarding. I enhanced my discipline tools and teaching techniques through reading regular teacher teaching plans before each substitute teaching assignment.
In March 2002, I took a position as a lower grade bilingual Spanish language teacher at Downer Elementary in West Contra Costa USD. I worked there successfully until the end of the year when I was offered a bilingual 4th grade teacher position at the same school.
I accepted and began six years of teaching at Downer: three as bilingual 4th, one as English only 5th and two as bilingual Kindergarten.
In September 2008, I changed schools. I accepted a teaching position at Bayview Elementary as a bilingual 3rd grade teacher. The next year I was placed in a 3-4 combination classroom. While I handled it, there were some discipline challenges.
In June 2010, I retired from teaching and have enjoyed several years without working.
When I heard of WyzAnt, I decided I could and should tutor. I trust that tutoring itself can be a rewarding endeavor in retirement.
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