"Have a firm handshake and look them in the eye." Those are the two things my dad has always told us to do, and those are the two things that sealed the deal in landing my first teaching job. I was in my last semester of college, which is student teaching for those in colleges of education. I applied for a position in the public high school where I was student teaching, and in a prestigious Catholic high school in the same town. I had a lot of experience working with the public for someone my age, as I had been a bank teller since I was 16. During college, I worked in the drive thru in a busy bank on Dauphin Street in Mobile. When it came to teaching, though, I was as green as a shamrock in a leprechaun's hat on St. Patrick's Day. I remember going to the interview that day. I ended the call with my dad as I drove up. Before saying "I love you," the last thing he said was, "look them in the eye and have a firm handshake." He had told us this all our lives, but it really stuck with me that day.
I wanted to learn and gain as much experience as I could, so I also applied for a Summer job at Sylvan Learning Center. I got the calls on the same day that I was hired at the Catholic school and at Sylvan. I was ecstatic! This was the Friday before my graduation on Saturday. I was so excited about this news and the new chapter in my life that I didn't rest well for days. I remember being absolutely exhausted, but unable to sleep. We had a family cookout after graduation, and my husband, Jason, surprised me with Jack, our now 15 year old dachshund. It was such a wonderful time in my life. I spent my graduation money buying the things Jack needed, then my dad and I vacationed at the river in the camper for the next week.
I taught at that school for three years. I would probably still be there had we not moved out of state for an upward move in Jason's career. I made lifelong friends among the faculty there. The department chair who hired me later told me that another applicant and I were equal. He was having a hard time deciding between us. There were two factors that led him to choose me: I looked him in the eye and had a firm handshake. My eyes had to have been as big as saucers when he said that. I couldn't tell my dad fast enough! The chair and I had grown close at this time, and I shared it with him. He was aware of the relationship between my dad and me. He thought it was as cool, special, and wise on my dad's part as I do.
My teaching career lasted 12 full school years and part of 13. My nerves and the rapid decline of society got the best of me after that. I was a social studies teacher during my tenure, and I taught US Government, Economics, US History I and II, Ancient and Modern World History, Career Prep, Current Events, and I think that's it. I had hundreds of opportunities to share my dad's wisdom and that story with my students. I was 23 my first year, and those students were juniors and seniors. The oldest are now in their early 30s, and my last students are seniors this year. I've been out of the classroom three years now, and I am still contacted to write letters of recommendation, help with resumes', etc. I am always happy to do so. One mom even called me this school year to see if I could help motivate her son to make better grades. I was, again, happy to do so and to have been remembered. I hope "my kids" will always remember the good things I taught them and learn from mistakes they saw me make. I also hope they will know that Mrs. Noble will always do what she can to help her "kiddos."
Back to my dad. The first serious conversation I remember having about the firm handshake and eye contact is when I was in 7th grade and he told me that I needed to address a coach about playing time. My parents didn't hassle teachers and coaches, but my dad wanted me to ask this coach why I wasn't playing much and what I needed to do to see more playing time. This was a woman, so I don't remember a handshake being involved, but he reiterated "look her in the eye." I was terrified, but now I am thankful for that experience. When I coached, I respected the kids that came to me (although I tried to be fair) because I remembered the guts that took.
I am pushing 40, and I still talk to my parents on the way home every day. I value their wisdom so much. My dad no longer tells me about that handshake and eye contact because he knows I'll remember. He tells me other things, though, and I can't imagine where I would be without either of them.
This is in honor of my parents, Jody and Donna Daniels,
and
my department chair, Kirk Powell, who recognized an ambitious applicant with good parents.
No comments:
Post a Comment