Because I'm Worth It

In the recent months, I've known that my teaching certificate would be expiring this summer. My mom brought up the fact many times on my visits home and over the phone. I would mention it to friends and they would encourage me to renew it as well. Somehow, none of that affected me. You see, I have been so burned out of teaching from my previous experience in the field. I could've cared less if I spent another day in a classroom. I was perfectly content with the idea that I would lose my certificate, for the time being anyway.

A funny thing happened though, through my volunteer work at the library, I remembered just how much I enjoyed being with and working with children. I still don't think I'm ready to become a full-time classroom teacher, but I did decide to become a substitute teacher. In this process, I realized just how little a substitute gets paid, and although it's not much, a certified teacher gets paid more per day as a sub. This is what got the wheels turning.

I decided to renew my teaching certificate. Truth be known, I have all of the requirements fulfilled, it would be dumb not to do it. It would only be $10 more a day with it, but that adds up. In the process of doing all of this, an amazing thing happened... in receiving my renewal, I experienced a sense of joy and pride. How could that happen? I was so willing and ready to give it up. At this time, I still don't know if I will go back full-time in the future. But for me, applying for a renewal, was a recognition of my own hard work and accomplishment of what I did in those 4 years. Yay me!