Have you ever met a kid who just wanted to know everything about the world around them? These are the kids who legitimately want to know "why?", not the ones who ask mischeiviously.
Well that was me.
From an early age I was curious about everything in the natural world. This eventually blossomed into my pursuit of a degree in Marine Biology, which I recieved from the University of West Florida in 2000. I worked in environmental monitoring and endangered species research for a few years, moving from agency to agency as positions and funding became available.
Over time I became aware of a desire within me to create something; to leave behind my own creation that would endure and expand beyond me. The opportunity to fulfill this desire presented itself very suddenly as one position with a state agency was terminated and a teaching opportunity was presented almost immediately.
I went from working for the Park Service to working for Citrus County Schools in 10 days. I am in my 2nd year of teaching Integrated Science to 6th and 7th grade students. My preferrence is for 7th grade students at this point, as their maturity and cognitive capacities are more in line with my teaching style. I went into this position looking for a job to get me by, but I think I have found a career
I really enjoyed reading your post and I found it very interesting how our different paths are related. I started to enjoy science after my 7th grade science class at Citrus Springs Middle School. My teacher sparked an everlasting love for science in me. I still remember many investigations and activities we did in his class. Everyday, I could not wait to get to his class. I was so excited to see what we were going to learn that day. As I went through high school my desire and love for science continued. I decided that I wanted to study biology and attended the University of West Florida. Today I still have a love for science but I enjoy younger children more. I hope that this encourages you to continue to teach young students and show them how important and how much fun science is.
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