When Doors Open…

I’ve always been a goal setter and worked hard to accomplish my plan. The year was 1989 and I was 56, divorced, kids moved on, and still searching for what it was I was supposed to do in life. I had tried many things, greeting card business, appliqued sweatshirt business, real estate agent, financial planner, but nothing worked or satisfied or felt like it was what I was supposed to do with my life. I had finished 3 years of college years before and always wished I’d graduated. I talked to a friend who suggested taking just one class and see how I felt. The evening class was Writing and Art at Cal State Fullerton. I loved it and was hooked on returning to college! Since it was necessary to work full time I couldn’t see how it would be possible to ever finish all the classes I needed to graduate. And 56 is kind of late in years to be making such a huge change. But I knew I had to do it!

This story is a tale of coincidences or should I say “a little help from Above.” I was working in accounting and I talked to my boss about the possibility of taking more classes and having a flexible 40 hour working schedule. He agreed and gave me a key so I could do my work whenever it fit in with my schedule.

I chose Art Education as my major because I had always wanted to be a teacher since 2nd grade and of course I loved anything creative. I signed up for a full load of classes and plunged ahead. It was very, very hard to budget my time between work, classes and homework. Needless to say that was all I did for a year. I had little signs posted here and there in my condo saying, “Just Do It!”

While attending CSUF I took a walking class (as if I didn’t have enough on my plate) but in hindsight I realize it was part of the plan too. I met a woman my age who was finishing her degree in education too and was already accepted at Claremont Graduate School to get a Masters and Teaching Credential during the summer. If I applied and was accepted we could go together! What a coincidence! I applied and was accepted too!

Eileen and I both lived in Orange County and knew Claremont’s summer  teaching program was rigorous and we couldn’t be driving back and forth every day. Together we went to Claremont’s Housing office and they gave us the name of a woman who was a school nurse who traveled every summer and was looking for someone to house sit. We met her a few hours later and of course she picked these 2 middle aged women to stay in her beautiful 4 bedroom home! No rent, just pay the utilities. Oh my goodness, what a generous coincidence!

We completed our summer classes and were informed we had to get a teaching position by September. We still had another summer of classes to complete. Now, the reality started to set in.  What principal was going to hire a teacher intern my age? I applied to a lot of districts and guess what? I was hired at Grovecenter Elementary School in West Covina, the same school 2 of my sons had attended many years before. I was given a job as third grade teacher in the same room where they had been schooled. Another amazing coincidence!!

Claremont provided a supervisor who visited my classroom every week to observe and give me teaching advice. And once a week I attended an evening class at Claremont. The second summer was a busy time finishing my masters and believe it or not, we got to house sit for the nurse again! Talk about things falling in place.

In 1993 I graduated and was on my way. From the first day of teaching, I knew this was what I was destined to do. Everything came easy for me. I taught many subjects using art to help the students learn. After 3 years in West Covina and driving to Irvine, I was able to get a job in Fountain Valley teaching third grade. How I loved it.

During these teaching years I saw the need for a mnemonic method to teach multiplication and division so I created one and Memory Joggers was born. During the summers I wrote a Memory Tips for Math book, developed an Add/Subtract Learning System including a CD, wrote 2 activity books, 2 writing books, originated a States & Capitals memory system and was a popular speaker at teacher conventions all over the U.S.

After 8 years of happy teaching, I retired to devote more time to Memory Joggers. And now here I am, almost 87, still running the business and helping children learn. Yes, I believe the Universe conspires with us to be our best selves.

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