Currently I serve as an Adjunct Professor at Indian River State
College helping Adult High School and GED students earn their diplomas. So how
did I get here, had a little detour? I worked as an insurance agent for two
years after exiting the military in 2012. I enjoyed helping the families but
sales were not my love. Money has never and will never be a carrot for me so I
did ok but something was missing. I wanted to teach but didn’t know where to
start. I really didn’t want to teach high school but applied for an instructor position
at the college. I was hired after the interview and spent the better part of
three months conducting in-take interviews, which I love. Helping people, some
of whom feel they are beyond help is very rewarding for me. Then the call came
I was back in the classroom again, teaching reading, language and MATHEMATICS my expertise, I love it.
So how do you prepare, you must have a bachelor’s degree usually
and experience to land one of these positions. I believe it’s more important
you have great skills than advanced degrees when it comes to teaching. And you
must care about and put the students first. My initial interview was to teach
an academic topic to a panel of educators and though I was an experienced
teacher I was a wreck. I produced many teaching topics over the years using
PowerPoint so that was my weapon of choice. I decided to teach how to solve
word problems; at the time I had been helping my son solve them. I basically
conducted a little research and put together a timed presentation that taught a
systematic way of completing word problems. The panel thoroughly enjoyed the
topic because I included plenty of student interaction. I figured the best way
to relax them and get them interested in the topic was to GET
THEM INVOLVED. You should always have questions, surveys,
sample problems, something to get input from your audience especially in an
educational environment. Ask yourself, is this interesting or fun? If the
answer is no keep working on it until it is. I didn’t only give them problems,
I timed each exercise so they only had a minute to solve them, I’m not kidding.
The rest is history and I’m not done yet, plan on starting an MS in Counseling
Psychology at Palm Beach Atlantic University in the fall.
During my time in the United States Navy I served as an
electronics technician, supervisor, communications instructor, recruit division
commander, shipboard training assessor, materiel officer and a Chief Petty
Officer. Mid career I started to focus on using the opportunity to enhance my
education, completing my AS in electronic studies in 2005 and starting my BS in
Electronic Systems Technology Management the same year. Though my plan was not
to seek a technical position per se it was a means to an end.
While I was stationed on my first ship I learned I enjoyed
helping others, teaching and mentoring them. Though I was not a natural, I
remember the first time I had to give a short topic on basic electronics I was
terrified but I enjoyed the research and planning piece immensely. I’ve taught
everything from shipboard fire fighting to drill and ceremony, I love to teach,
instruct, inspect and improve productivity. Although I don’t plan on using my
technical mind in an electronics plant I will use those same skills to teach
the adult education students I help on a daily basis.
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