What challenges or obstacles have you overcome to get where you are now?
One phrase that I hear often is “I don’t know how you do it all.” I have a lot of responsibilities that others find daunting. For me, however, it is a thrill. I find it a blessing to excel in multiple areas at once: teaching full time, raising children, running a small business and completing my Master’s Degree in School Administration in two and half years. I am a take charge person. I like to work on things that have significant and lasting impact. As I have pondered obstacles that I have overcome in order to get where I am today, the biggest hurdle for me has been budgeting time to meet all of the demands in my life.
As a full-time teacher for more than 10 years, I understand the responsibilities of effective planning and teaching. Far more time goes into teaching than just the time in the classroom. I must budget time for planning as well as professional development as a practitioner. Adding another layer of complexity to my preparation is the topic that I teach: information technology. Technology advances so rapidly that I must dedicate time to learn new technology as well as update the curriculum to keep pace with the latest changes in the field.
When it comes to my daughters, my motto is “family first.” My children are 4 and 6-years-old. Since I work full-time, both of my daughters attend school each day. They have quality care at school that provides an excellent base for their future education. While I am thankful for their education so far, it I am still responsible to spend time with them, teach them and care for them.
Similar to children, small businesses require a significant investment of time to nurture and grow. My husband and I have owned and operated several small businesses. While my husband runs the operation, he relies on me for accounting, strategic planning and marketing. I carefully weave these activities into my busy schedule.
Recently, our small business was devastated by super-storm Sandy. Recovery from such a natural disaster has affected our entire local area in southern New Jersey, putting tremendous pressure on small businesses. Thankfully, support is available for those affected by the storm. However, a significant amount of time is required to complete applications for assistance because of the volume of information required by the organizations providing support.
Incredibly, the super-storm Sandy struck at the same time that I am completing my Master’s degree in School Administration, preparing for the GREs, and, simultaneously, applying for admission to the doctoral program in Educational Leadership at Harvard University. It seems budgeting of time is more critical than ever. Regardless of the obstacles that I face, I strive to view my obstacles as opportunities to improve the lives of those around me.