I’ve been a teacher for as long as I can remember.
When I was little I would spend my free time not in the play kitchen pretending to play house, but in my room lining up my stuffed animals, Barbies, and troll dolls (remember them?!) and showing them what I knew about reading and writing.
When my cousin and I would reunite on family vacations we would take turns playing teacher/student and sharing what we were each learning in grade school.
In high school, I joined the ‘Future Educators’ club and was paired with a local elementary school where I tutored special needs students once a week in the mornings before my school day began.
Teaching has been in my blood for a long long time and there was no doubt in my mind that when I went to college, I was going to claim my major in Elementary Education and lead a noble life giving back to America’s youth.
I spent my first 3 wonderful years of teaching in Kindergarten and First Grade classrooms. I got to gift these little minds with a love of learning through creativity, a feeling of safety and security as they experienced school for the first time, and I had the privilege of teaching them how to read books and write sentences.
After 3 years, I was already burnt out from high expectations and administrative demands that did not feed my creative soul.
It’s might be irony (or quite possibly fate) the the universe led me back to that school I tutored in years ago during my high school days to settle into a new adventure teaching technology integration to both students and teachers.
My role has been primarily to help teachers develop creative lessons using technology with their own students, teach them how to master new hardware and software that is rapidly entering the classroom, and give them the confidence to embrace this new digital age in education.
But, 7 years later as the push for testing, data collection, and administrative tasks pushes its way to the forefront of my work, I’m once again feeling the call to get back to the creativity on which I now know I thrive.
Luckily, photography entered my life.
And the universe has been nudging me in it’s direction ever since.
The last three years of personal growth behind a camera lens has unexpectedly opened my eyes to an entire world of possibility. Of a life I never dreamed of during those childhood days of teaching my stuffed toys to read and write.
Making the choice to combine my love of teaching with my passion for photography has been one of the best decisions of my life.
And, teaching moms like you how to re-discover creativity behind the lens of a camera, while also providing you a sense of purpose and confidence as you document your kids growth and your family milestones — well, it’s been life affirming.
Which is why I know it’s time for me to leave my full-time work as a public school teacher in June.
I’m finally ready to open the doors wide to some new world-changing dreams of teaching on my own terms and unleashing a creativity revolution into the lives and hearts of moms and families.
I’m not waiting until June however to begin this new chapter. It begins now as I get my popular local class Momtographie ready to be expanded and released into an online offering. (if you haven’t yet seen the promo video you must check it out)
To celebrate, I’m offering a completely free online week long mini photography class for moms called ‘One Ingredient Fix’. The class will be completely guided by me and it starts next Monday, March 25th.
I do hope you’re one of the over 750 (!!!) moms who is already registered and joining me for this celebration. If you’re not, sign up right here right now. Then come back here and tell your friends about the class using one of the handy Pinterest, Facebook. or Twitter buttons below.
I can’t wait share my re-kindled love of teaching with as many moms as possible next week as we cook up delicious photos of your kids and family just in time for the Easter, Passover, and spring season.