My path to becoming a teacher has not been a straight line. In fact, it has taken more than two decades of writing, reflection, and unexpected turns to bring me here.
I started college right after high school at Boise State University. During my first few semesters, I bounced between several majors, including graphic design, elementary education, secondary education, and English. Eventually, I discovered that I loved my English classes and had a natural talent for writing. That realization led me to choose English as my major.
While studying literature, I developed strong connections with my professors and developed a deep appreciation for poetry and classic literature. I especially enjoyed reading poets such as Robert Frost, W. H. Auden, Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and Allen Ginsberg. I also spent countless hours immersed in novels by authors like John Steinbeck, Jack Kerouac, and Ken Kesey.
During my junior year, I took a few technical writing courses. My professors encouraged me to pursue technical writing as a career. I had always planned to become a writer, and I quickly realized that technical writing offered the opportunity to write professionally while building a stable career. I changed my major to English with an emphasis in Technical Writing and graduated from Boise State University in December 2001.
Over the next eighteen years, I built a successful career as a technical writer, working for companies such as Hewlett-Packard, IM Flash Technologies, Micron, and Texas Instruments. In September 2024, my career took an unexpected turn when I was laid off due to a reduction in force. After taking a month to reflect and consider my next steps, I decided to try something completely new. In November 2024, I was hired by ESS as a substitute teacher. At first, the idea of teaching was intimidating. However, after my first assignment, something clicked. I found that I genuinely enjoyed helping students learn, and that my professional experience gave me a unique perspective to bring into the classroom.
That experience reminded me of how much I had once enjoyed my college education courses. With my wife's encouragement and after 18 years in the corporate world, I decided it was time to pursue a long-held interest and become an English teacher.
In January 2025, I contacted a few local school districts and was approved for the Alternate Pathway to Professional Educator License (APPEL). I obtained an Associate Educator License (AEL) and began applying for English Language Arts teaching positions across several districts. I quickly discovered that breaking into the profession without classroom experience can be challenging. In fact, after applying for nearly thirty positions, I received only a few interviews.
Determined to strengthen my preparation, I applied to the Western Governors University School of Education and was accepted into the Master of Arts in Teaching – Secondary English program in April 2025. I am excited about the opportunity to grow as an educator and continue developing the pedagogical skills necessary to support students' educational goals in meaningful ways.
As I continue this journey toward becoming an English teacher, my goal is to help students discover their own voices and use language to express themselves with confidence and purpose.
This blog will document my thoughts on literacy, my journey through student teaching, and my first year of classroom experience.
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