CDPunt(igam) Writes

Have I told you this story yet? I don’t think so, get settled in, it’s a good one.

A few years ago, our only child graduated from high school. Not just any high school, our homeschooled high school. They were educated at home all of their school years. It was a lovely and difficult time. Teaching all the things to just one student is in some ways so much harder than teaching one thing for all the students. Mainly because there’s no fluke success to hide behind on a regular basis. With just one student, you know when you fail as a teacher. When there are topics and subjects that your pupil is just not going to get from what you have to offer that day. As opposed to one subject for all, even on your bad days at least one kids is going to get it.

After their graduation, I considered myself a retired stay at home mom. It was a fun thing to say. I started writing more, creating a few novellas, even a full length book in recent days. But even with all the writing I could do in a day and all the blog posts and newsletters I could easily generate, there was something missing. My brain was still on the look out as I sculked around the world enjoying my lack of responsibility. It’s a lot of responsibility after all to make sure that your kid survives to adulthood.

Christmas season 2024 rolls around. We fill up our calendar with friend events. One shows up, it’s a band concert at one of the local high schools. I loved it. It was my favorite event of the season. It was funny, beautiful, and tons of moving parts that all blended into a great evening. And as I sat there, thinking about all these children in this particular school and what life must be like to have not just fire and tornado drills but lock down/active shooter drills, to be honest my heart broke just a little. And then the voice that always seems to show up right when I need it told me that I should be a part of what I was thinking of.

As I pondered on what that might look like, the easiest idea was to become a substitute teacher for my local school district. There are at least two schools within walking distance of my home, I wouldn’t even need to have a car! I started the process of applying right away. Somehow, this process that’s supposed to take a matter of days, maybe a week or two, ended up taking several months because of things like my college transcript being in the literal vault and needing additional time to pull it up.

Once all the everything of training, background checks, and the likes got cleared, I logged into the system and there were no jobs (turns out that someone didn’t put my stuff in so that I could see them). I added other districts outside my local one because my amazing husband had secured a second car and I could get places. My first day was a group of 1st graders. I’m pretty sure that all elementary students are still determining whether or not they will be a part of normal cultural rules. It’s a wild place. I did not like it. I did, however, find that I enjoyed parts of middle and most of high school.

One day, while discussing my latest escapades at the mini buffet that always seems to show up after church, that friend who we went to the band concert was there overheard and asked if I could add their district to my list. I said yes.

That next week, a notice went up in the job listings seeking a chemistry or physics certified teacher for a long term sub position. I inquired with my lack of certification declared, they had me come to meet the teacher. Turned out to my be the teacher of my young friend. Turns out that the lack of certification was not an issue, they asked me to start when she left on maternity leave. Friends, I was in the class within the week. I went in for a shadow day and she was ready to pop, the next Monday I was tossed in the deep end.

Three periods of Honors chemistry, one period of IB physics, and one period of physics seniors who had completed all their learning and just needed a place to study that also happened to be the last period of the day. I can tell you on this side, I do not think I will be teaching physics again any time soon.

The kids were amazing. I loved teaching chemistry. I saw myself doing this full time. I took the steps. I quickly went from I should check this out to enrolled and scholarshiped for teacher certification program at my local community college. One of the few community colleges that offer the state approved program. And the school I was teaching chemistry for asked me to come back as a building sub. It’s been falling into place, all these bits and pieces.

Bits and pieces fall all the time. Sometimes it feels like hail and an intense need to seek shelter. Other times it’s like a winning streak in Tetris. It all just clicks and the dopamine keeps flowing.

I’m about to start the fall semester. I’ve been brushing up on my chemistry all summer while also getting my long term wip buttoned up. I’m really hopeful it will be out in the world this fall. I’m also hopeful that I’ll be able to keep the important things identified and on my radar this fall. There’s more moving parts, parts that I haven’t had to juggle in some time. I’m sure that God has a way, I just need to let myself remember that I’m not steering the boat. And if in the midst of the rapids I fall out, to lay on my back and point my feet downstream.