Running around and playing outside on summer days were some of my favorite pastimes as a child. Playing with dolls, playing tag, and playing kickball were all some of my favorite activities. Most children were happy to be off from school for the summer and be carefree and not have to wake up early. I on the other hand, I could not get enough of school. Ironically, the activity that I enjoyed most was “playing school”. Rather than being the student however, I always wanted to be the teacher. I loved making the worksheets, writing on the chalkboard and whiteboard, grading tests, and teaching the other kids on my block.

     Being so young, this was just a fun game to play with my friends, but as time passed I slowly began to realize that this game of “playing school” was not just a game. It was turning into a career path that I would want to take in the future. As I went through middle school and high school I was constantly helping my friends with math homework when they struggled. I even moved forward to tutor any student who needed help or students who asked for help through the honor society. I felt so accomplished being able to help others understand concepts that they never thought that they could. I loved the feeling of helping others and watching them grow and develop as a learner. The moment that I recognized this passion is the moment that I knew that I would go to school and become a teacher.

     I attended SUNY Cortland and received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Adolescent Mathematics Education (for grades 7-12). After all of my hard work through school and my student teaching experience, I finally felt like I was ready to move on and become a teacher of my own. I began to send my resume to hundreds of different places and waited for phone calls, emails, and interview opportunities. Getting a job as a new teacher quickly became one of the hardest, most stressful things that I have ever had to do. After many responses and interviews, I was beginning to lose hope. Just as I was ready to give up, I saw a phone number that looked familiar calling my phone. I picked up my phone and it was the principal of Holy Family School calling me to offer me the 7th and 8th grade math position. I immediately started jumping up and down and crying out of excitement and happiness. That was one of the best moments that I have had in my life, and I could not be happier to have accepted the position. 

Definitions

pasttimes (noun)- an activity that a person used to do often 

carefree (adjective)- free of worries 

ironically (adverb)- unexpected 

constantly (adverb)- continuously, always happening

concepts (noun)- an abstract idea

adolescent (adjective)- a young person

immediately (adverb)- instantly, without delay

Synonyms:

Give a synonym (similar word) for each vocabulary word

1. pasttimes _______________________

2. carefree ________________________

3. ironically ________________________

4. constantly________________________

5. concepts ________________________

6. adolescent ________________________

7. immediately ________________________

An adverb is a word that is used to modify an adjective, verb, other adverb, or word group. Please write 5 sentences. Once you have written these sentences, go back and add adverbs to the sentences to make them more interesting!