Last night after a meal with friends, we stood on the sidewalk in small lingering conversation before heading to our cars. We were talking about substitute teaching and how it was difficult to find substitutes for certain subjects. Then a comment was made to me “Are you OK substituting for a class other than social studies?” I immediately replied, “Yes!” because it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be, I mean, I have so much more experience than my endorsement areas.

This was the second such conversation in as many days. These lingering conversations have stuck with me, and I was left with a heavy thought – people don’t know me.  In this world of “What do you do for a living?” the answer is typically singular, I’ve said, “I’m a paralegal.” Everyone moves on. This answer is not just a categorizer but an identity definer– and it shouldn’t be.

I have a rich and varied background, one people know little about. I’ve come to realize, not only is “paralegal” not what I do anymore, and haven’t for a while, but I’ve also done so much more. From that first job in a restaurant to “I’m a paralegal making the career switch into the field of education” I’ve gained career and life experience unknown to others.

I’ve worked in a variety of industries such as landscaping, retail, hospitality, banking, security (certified), legal (4 practice areas), management consulting, human resources (certified), and mediation (Master’s trained).

I’ve worked for large, medium, and small private and commercial business, start-ups, law firms, government agencies, and higher education. I’ve worked on a sales floor, in a cube, in an office with a door and virtually. As an intern, I’ve even worked in a hallway sitting in a folding metal chair. I’ve trained on so many software systems; I couldn’t name them all if I tried.

I have 155 undergraduate credits sitting beside over 50 graduate credits all accompanied by a manila folder 1/3 of an inch thick with certifications, workshops, and seminar attendance certificates.  I clocked practitioner level training in areas such as social and emotional learning, behavioral support, special education, neuropsychology, nutrition and wellness, and spent countless research hours and written untold many unpublished papers on humanities topics from A to Z.

I definitely have multiple layers, transferable skills and competencies, and a rich background that surprises many; if and when they ever learn of it. Perhaps I should do a better job of “marketing” myself, but my attempts have been met with skepticism and doubt – that one person could have so many accomplishments, yet never in a discrete area. It’s true, my life is mapped in pencil, and the journey is a winding road filled with adventure but if one looks closely, my life’s concentration revolves around humanities and education.

My curiosity always drives me to learn more, to discover, to ferret out information.  Fascination is my calling, surface level knowledge isn’t an option for me – I need to satisfy the perpetual need to learn – to soak up information, experiences, and people.

Out of everything I’ve done, this…, this curiosity is why I feel I’m being called to the classroom. The classroom allows me to take all of ‘me’ and give it over to my students. It allows me to take this eclectic life and give it over to fresh minds, for them to cherry pick things that fit. It also allows me to learn everything I can from them and together make this community better.  Because in the end, learning is supposed to be an exciting – eclectic human experience.