#52 Stories--Story #22

Do you remember what future career you dreamed of as a child? Are you stil following that dream? If not, what age did you find a new dream?

From about age ten on I wanted to be a photographer fro Life Magazine.  I loved to see the detail in all the photos from that publication.  I loved the idea of traveling to see new places and people and photograph them for the magazine. I pursued photography as a hobby for some years.  I was fairly decent but never committed enough to learn more than what I knew or used regularly to improve much.  That dream still sits in the back of my mind but it's potential has since died as my eyes have gotten increasingly bad as I have gotten older.

My other dream career was that of a classroom teacher.  Particularly a history teacher. I studied to teach high school history through college.  I did my student teaching at Mountain view High School in Orem, Utah in 1992.  But after interviewing all over the valley, I never got a contracted job teaching and ended up working at a dental lab--of all places--after graduation. However, through my PTA and volunteer work, I have substituted in my kids' schools over the years.  And now that they are gone from public school, I think about going back to teaching.  That dream is slowed by the idea of the increasing hoops and restrictions placed in the way for creative and innovative teaching by the "powers that be". I absolutely admire the teachers that do this year in and year out.  But I know too well how ridiculous the legislative requirements--yanking them one direction then the other year after year, as well as the incredibly invasive parental oversteps can interfere with actual teaching and creative learning.  Nope, I'll likely just go back to substituting at the local high school.

I do love teaching though, and currently get to practice that art in my Gospel Doctrine class at church.  I loved teaching int my callings in Young Women as well, but a regular teaching calling is terrific.