Pamela Sime
What doesn't kill me, will make me stronger. That is the motto that I have lived by for a large portion of my adult life. I married at a very young age and as couples often do, we grew apart as we got older. The arguments got worse year after year, and it got to the point where I knew I had to make a change but I didn't know how. I felt trapped. Then, I found out that I was pregnant. I thought that perhaps my husband and I could work things out after my daughter was born but I was wrong.
By the time my daughter was four-months-old, the relationship between my husband and me became toxic. I decided that I did not want to raise my daughter in household where love was not at the core and animosity prevailed. It was time to make a change. With just the clothes on my back, I rented an apartment in Philadelphia and was determined to change my life for the benefit of my child.
Within months of my separation, the office in which I worked downsized and I found myself unemployed. I was a single mom having to choose between buying diapers or formula because I couldn't afford both. That is when I decided to take matters into my own hands. I registered for classes at the local community college as an education major. I knew I had a hard road ahead but I was determined to change my life, if not for myself then at least for my daughter. I wanted to show her that anything was possible through hard work and perseverance. I knew that getting an education was the only way I could achieve my goals. I had always wanted to be a teacher but never really had the self-esteem to believe that I could ever achieve that goal. That kind of thinking was not the legacy that I wanted to leave to my daughter. I made up my mind. I was going to get my degree no matter what trials and tribulations would befall me. I decided that what doesn't kill me, will make me stronger.
I knew I wanted to teach and I knew I needed an education to achieve my goal. I was a non-traditional student in that I was older and a single mom. I'll be honest, there were times when I didn't think I would make it. I was taking classes full-time, tutoring writing, biology and chemistry part-time and waiting tables on the weekends. Add to that I was the sole caretaker of a baby at home. There were times that I thought of giving in. When those times came, I refocused myself on my absolute longing for a better life.
The office job that I had before the downsizing was just that a job. It was not personally fulfilling and I felt there was little substance to it. I know it sounds cliché but I wanted career in which I could make a difference in the lives of others, particularly children. I wanted to inspire in them a love of learning and foster their creativity and imagination. I wanted to teach them to believe in themselves, a lesson that I was just learning as an adult. These are the thoughts that kept me going. This was the goal that I wanted to no, needed to- achieve. Education was the vehicle I needed to get to my goal.
My years at Bucks County Community College and then at Kutztown University were truly some of the most incredible years of my life. Yes, I worked harder than I ever thought that I could but I also gained so much in the way of personal fulfillment. I learned more about myself in those four and a half years than I could ever imagine. In addition to academics, I learned self-discipline, perseverance, and pride in a job well done. I learned that while I was a very good team player, I could also excel in a leadership capacity. I grew so much as a human being. By the end of my time at Kutztown, I graduated *** laude, was asked to give the commencement address, and was honored as Kutztown University's student teacher of the year. Yes, those years were certainly incredible however there was definitely more to come.
When I first started out in education, I wanted to inspire students. What I have found is that very often it is the students that inspire me. A few weeks after I graduated from college, I started teaching science with the Central Bucks School District and have been with them ever since. While I was exceptionally prepared in my subject matter, I was not quite confident in my teaching skills.
Many teachers need some years under their belt sort of speak to gather the necessary tools to manage their classrooms. There is definitely a learning curve. I felt however that I owed it to my students to be the absolute best teacher that I could be. I needed to learn how to be a good teacher. Again, I looked to education to gain that knowledge and reach that goal. I began taking classes at Gratz College in their Master's of Education program and I completed my degree. As part of my thesis, I created and implemented a classroom management technique and researched the effectiveness of the technique. While the classes I took were very helpful as was the research component, it is the students who motivate excellence in me everyday. They are the ones that challenge me to be the best. They are the ones who deserve nothing less than 100 percent. It is they who inspire me.
Two years ago I had the honor of receiving the Horace Mann National Education Association Foundations Award for Teaching Excellence. While in Washington D.C. to accept the award, I had the opportunity to talk to the educational and political leaders of our country. I was excited by their outreach programs in particular. For instance, one of the initiatives of the NEA foundation is to close the achievement gaps between underprivileged children and their wealthier counterparts.
I began to think that while I certainly enjoy being in the classroom, perhaps I could better serve children if I were to take a more active role in research and educational policy making. To be able to establish best practices through sound research and implement those practices in an underserved school district is an incredible opportunity. As with all other times in my life, I am looking to education in order to help fulfill that goal. A master's degree can only take me so far. When working at the national level, a doctorate is a necessity. I would like to use the knowledge gained through a doctoral program to further advance the education of our children. In the doctoral program, I hope to gain the necessary skills to be a leader in the field of education for our nation. I hope to conduct research and implement best practices in all of our schools not just the ones that can afford it. That to me would be the biggest honor of all to be able to change the lives of so many children.
As with everything else, money and time is a huge factor in making dreams a reality. I have wanted to go back to school for my doctorate for quite some time now but honestly, my daughter is now fourteen and I am looking to how I will be financing her education. I do not want her to struggle through the way that I did. With that said, I simply do not have the financial resources to do it on my own. Additionally, as was stated before, time is a huge factor. Recently, I was asked by Harriet Sanford, the CEO of the NEA Foundation to serve on the Board of Directors. Unfortunately due to the fact that the board meets during the school day, I could not get the release time from school that would be necessary to fulfill my responsibilities as a board member. The same time constraints apply to graduate schools. I have a full-time job that I cannot take time away from for classes. That is why online classes are the perfect solution for me. I can get the education that I need to achieve my goals without having to leave my job or miss crucial time with my daughter. Of course I am well aware of the amount of work that a doctoral program entails but I know that I am up for the challenge. I have proven that to myself time and time again. It will be a hard road ahead but one that is exceptionally rewarding. And besides, what doesn't kill me will make me stronger.