My Oola Journey: Field

“Fair does not mean equal.”

This is the unwritten motto of special education.  It is a concept that was introduced to me in my very first teaching class, and repeated regularly as I worked toward my Master's degree.  It’s hard to wrap your brain around and yet, as a teacher in special education it is something you must learn.  It is the heart and soul of our profession and what drives us to do what we do.  It is also what can sometimes make the job challenging as we work in the general education classroom. 

In the past, I have been told by colleagues, one day you'll be up there with the ”big JC!” Or that I’m God’s special angel because I teach children with special needs.  I don’t see it as such.  I believe I have certain gifts I bring to the table but I am no more special than a teacher that walks into any classroom on any given day.  We teach for a variety of reasons.  My reason is simple – I love kids.  Thankfully, God has blessed me with patience and perseverance.  My classroom mission statement is "for children to be successful both in the classroom and out; whatever that success means to him/her."

In Oola, field is one of the areas that we need to bring into balance with the rest of our lives.  For if we spend 100 hours per week at work, then we are definitely ignoring the other 6 areas of our life; faith, family, fitness, fun, finance and friends.  With teaching, it is easy to get wrapped up and easily spend 60 hours per week planning, grading and doing all the other things teachers do in order to make their classroom run as smoothly as possible.  I do spend many hours at the beginning of the year setting up my classroom, my caseload, and lesson plans.  I’m sure I do hit that 60 hour or more mark; easily for the first month.  It is exhausting but necessary.  However, I do not continue being ramped up to that degree for the remainder of the year.  To do so would easily cause burnout.  I don’t wish to do that to myself.    I have spent time making good templates, which helps speed up the process of lesson planning and other tedious jobs that are related to teaching but not teaching itself.  And so, although my classroom may not be perfect, it functions like clockwork.  I’m a good teacher and have a passion for my students and the subjects that I teach which at the moment is Math Applications, World History and English in grades 10 and 12.   As I examine my Oola life, I find that I excel in Field.  It is definitely one of my stronger areas.  Not only do I teach all day, 4 afternoons a week I tutor children at the Boys and Girls Club and St. Jude’s Ranch. 

The second job is not solely driven by passion but also from necessity, as I would not be able to meet my bills without it.   I have to work on my area of finance if my Oola life is going to be successful.  Thankfully, it is a job I also love.  I have definitely been blessed by my career choice.  I didn’t start my teaching career until I was 48 years old.  I have my Master’s degree in Special Education with endorsements in Autism and English Language Learners (ELL).  It has not always been easy but as Ashton Kutcher says, “Opportunity looks an awful lot like hard work.”  Amen to that! 

As you strive for your Oola life, find out what it is you’d truly love to do.  As Dr. Dave Braun states in his and Dr. Troy Amdahl's book--"Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World" -- Dream big.  Then throw that dream away and dream bigger. My “bigger” dream is to write a book and do speaking engagements related to my book.  I am at the start of living my Oola life.   I am actively pursuing it.   I am not sure I would have the courage to live my “bigger dream” if it were not for my working on my Oola life plan.  I cannot tell you what the experience will mean for you but I do know for me that this is an incredible journey.  Everyday is an adventure and I can’t wait to wake up and find out what is going to happen next!

At this time in my life, I’m happier than I’ve ever been, grateful for whatever past experiences have brought me to this point, blessed by the children who walk through my classroom door, and thankful that God continues to guide me.   I am the clay in the Potter’s hands.  Yes, I am at the start of my journey to an Oola life.  Doing what I love is Oola living at its finest.  I encourage you, "Go and live your Oola life!"