Teaching is more than an occupation for me; it’s a fulfillment of my inner self not found in any other venue. Ask me to teach you something, and my brain automatically says, “This is the thing for which I was created.” I taught music for eight years and subbed in many subjects for two years after that. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to fill in for a high school science teacher for eight weeks, which was the most affirming experience of my life. Those students responded to my teaching with so much enthusiasm, it was difficult for me to say goodbye at the end; I wanted it to go on forever, and the students begged me to stay to the end of the year.
Since leaving the teaching profession, I had felt a void in my life that nothing else could fill, until a friend asked me to teach a class for community education. I offered a general class of crochet instruction. No one signed up. Then I offered a class on knitting two socks at once from the toe up using the Magic Loop, and I had six students! Most recently I taught a class in which students learned to make reversible cables on a hat and scarf.
What fun! I have always been amazed at how much I learn when I teach. As an added bonus, my students are my equals, peers with whom I can share myself and who can open up to me in ways one can never experience as a school teacher. I have made some dear friends and they, in turn, have given me the impetus to continue learning and exploring and sharing what I have found.
I would like to offer classes more often than three times per year like I am with the community ed program, but I am stymied by the prospect of finding a location for my classes. My home is not an option, as MS prevents me from keeping the house in order and my husband, working all hours, doesn’t have the time to do it, either. I have considered local churches or the community center, but have not yet contacted any of them to find out about availability or cost. This is a small town, and my options are few, but I have confidence that with some effort, a place to teach will be found.
In the meantime, I am also thinking about making items to sell and offering custom jobs as well. I have thought about the typical washcloth and towel topper types of things, but am curious to find out what will sell the best for the least amount of time expended. Extra cash is extremely short and entirely welcome right now.
