What's Your Story--Revised

(This is my latest version. I hope you enjoy it. I did add some things to it!)

I was born at home
And made front-page news!
I cut my teeth
On the church’s pews.
I’m from Sunday School
And Homecoming lunches,
High school band,
And school-girl crushes.
Mom and Dad
Are together today.
(It’s still supposed
To be that way.)
Older brother
Little Sis
Middle Child?
Oh, yes!
First to graduate
From a university
Seven year plan,
But who’s really counting?
I came out with a degree
In Sign Language Interpreting.
Now here I am
At UNCC,
MAT here I come!
Look at me!
Girl Scouts
Music
PTO
My daughter dances
Away we go!
Married to a wonderful man
And he is my “bestest” friend
Still working on achieving dreams
It’s all just part of being me!

My story is simple. Ok, so maybe not. My name is Leslie Parker Jackson. Except for four years of my life, I have lived in a ten mile radius of the house in which I grew up. On February 15, 1978, I was born at home to Rick and Jeanie Parker. Every Sunday, we were at church. I grew up knowing that if I followed God’s plan for my life, then I would be where I was supposed to be. Have I veered from that? Sure I have—a couple times. However, I always seem to find my way back.

I have an older brother, Donnie, who is 3 ½ older than me. For 9 ½ years, I was the baby of the family until my little sister, Lisa, was born. I would have traded her for just about anything back then, but now I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

I attended Concord High School—home of the “International Award-Winning Spider Marching Band”. I played just about every instrument I could get the band directors to teach me. My love of music helped me to find myself in the Music Education program at Appalachian State University for my freshman year of college! Go Mountaineers! I only attended ASU for one year, however, because I had three deaths in the family (or close family friends) during the second semester, and I decided it was time to come home.

I spent two-and-a-half years at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. During that time I met my wonderful husband, Tony. I transferred to UNCCharlotte in January 2000. A month later, Tony proposed. In August 2000, I moved to UNCGreensboro from which I graduated three years later. In May 2001, Tony and I were married. Our wedding started just as the green flag was dropping for the Winston (now called the All-Star Race) at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Two years and one day later, as I walked the stage at the Department of Education graduation ceremony, I could feel the tiny kicks of my daughter inside me. I was six months along when I graduated.

Tony and I moved back to Concord in June 2003. Our beautiful daughter, Chasity Carletta, was born in August. She has her Grandmother’s middle name. Tony’s mom died a little more than a year before Chasity was born. Where I’m from, you keep the names in the family. That’s part of how you keep the family history alive.

From August 2002 until August 2006, I worked as a Sign Language Interpreter. When I went to my yearly evaluation in May 2006, I was basically asked to choose between my child and my job. The problem was that our daycare did not open until 6am and I was supposed to be at work at 6:30am. Unfortunately, I had a commute of no less than one hour each way—depending on traffic. Other interpreters—childless interpreters—complained that I was getting special treatment because I had a child. (However, I had cleared the whole situation with the Education Center downtown before accepting the job.)

I did not inform the school system of my decision until August 2006. In the end, my daughter won! In October 2006, I became a substitute teacher for Cabarrus County Schools. I have done that ever since! I love it! I get the classroom experience without the extra “issues” that teachers face. It really is a great way to get some classroom training.

Of course, I would rather be a regular classroom teacher. Going through high school and college, I always knew that I would be a teacher. Don’t get me wrong, I loved interpreting. But, I was born to teach. I love to see students when they “get it”. I love seeing the proverbial light bulb come on.

Five years and one week after Chasity was born, she started Kindergarten and I started graduate school—on the same day! I have my internship next semester. I have to take the Praxis II. Then, I will have my teaching license, hopefully. I have a little while left before getting my Masters, but that is a dream I just have to keep pursuing.

At the moment, I am not teaching. However, upon completion of Phase I of the MAT, I want to teach secondary English. Why English? My response is…why not? I believe teachers should teach what they love. If you love it, you are a forever student and will always have something new and interesting to share with the students in your classroom.

For me, I was influenced by my Junior English teacher, Mr. Campbell. Mr. C taught us that literature can (and should) have a personal touch to the reader. He/she should try to find a way to connect the reading to his/her life. So, that year my big research paper was on A Separate Peace by John Knowles. (I still have my same copy of the book.) That was the first paper in English that I personalized.

I learned to love to read and write again. I had lost that in middle school, but Mr. Campbell’s class brought it back to me. His love of teaching, English, writing, and reading helped me to regain my love of the art. Because of Mr. C, I want to spread my love of teaching, reading, writing, and English (in general) to my future students.

For right now, I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, PTO board member, and Girl Scout troop leader. Sometimes I feel like a chef, a maid, a secretary, and a taxi driver. But, most importantly, I am me. My story is not so different from many others. I was born. I grew up. I am living my life the best I know how with the people I love surrounding me.