KATE GRINDON

There are a great many things I’ve thought of being “when I grow up,” but I never thought I’d be teaching eighth grade Language Arts in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s not so surprising that I’m working with kids- that always seemed to be in the picture for me. I was the Youth Minister at my church one summer, I spent a summer as a counselor at a Girl Scout camp, and I had a running job as an instructor and camp counselor with a few children’s choirs. It seems like I’ve had one random job after another, but the common thread was always kids.

I spent the last four years of my life at Vanderbilt University. I was a classic case of the college student who took on everything. I was in a social sorority, a music sorority, I was the president of both the VU Concert Choir and Vanderbilt Off-Broadway- you name it, I did it. My college experience was great, and definitely prepared me for leadership roles (and stress) in the real world, but it didn’t give me any idea as to what I wanted to do.

During my junior year, a friend applied for Teach for America. I had heard of the program before, but never really investigated it. With him, I learned more about the program. It seemed perfect for someone like me. I wanted to teach, and had a lot of experience with kids, but had had no real classroom experience. I was used to juggling a gazillion things and working well under pressure (which seemed like a prerequisite for TFA). As I watched him join the corps and move to his assignment, I began to see the program as a real possibility for me.

As my senior year started, however, I began to get nervous about the program. What if I didn’t like my assignment? What if there wasn’t any community support? What if didn’t get the preparation I felt I needed? Could I really do it- all alone? As I freaked out more and more about this, I heard about Teach Kentucky. Apparently, someone else had the same thoughts I was having. It seemed that everything that scared me about TFA had been addressed in Teach Kentucky. I started to really think about it, and eventually decided that this was by far the better decision for me.

When I made the decision to join Teach Kentucky, there was no stress in knowing where I was going to live. It was Louisville or nothing. I liked that certainty about it. Even though I never would have thought about moving to Louisville, it was the kind of place I was looking for. I wanted a city very much like Nashville, where I had been so comfortable, but far enough away that I could claim it as mine and have a fresh start from college.

When I moved to Louisville, there were people calling me from the day I moved in, ready to help me and make me feel at home. In what now seems to be an insane comedy of errors, I totaled my car 7 hours after moving in. My new roommates brought me home, and within days there were people working to find me a new car I could buy at a reasonable price. Starting a new life after college is terrifying, but I can’t imagine doing it without the support network I have here. And if you ever happen to need a great used car salesman, let me know. I happen to know one!

I have a job teaching eighth grade Language Arts at Meyzeek Middle School. We serve magnet kids as well as kids from the neighborhood- one of the worst neighborhoods in the city. This mix means that my days are never boring. I go from teaching about Mark Twain and satire to helping kids with a fourth grade reading level understand vocabulary lessons. It’s a challenge that I love, because I get to push my kids a little bit further every day, regardless of where they are when they get to me. My co-workers are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. They are experienced, wise, and fun (a triple threat when it comes to teaching), and go out of their way to walk me through the treacherous world of middle school. I’d be lost without them.

The best thing about my experience so far has been meeting people who have the same goals as I do. We are definitely a family, and we understand each other’s good and bad days like no one else can. We help each other get sleep when we need it, and party when we need it. I have also loved meeting the other people in the community who are so supportive of us. It amazes me how many people want to do whatever they can to help us, and our kids, succeed. Even though I complain about my schedule, I also am thankful for the program at U of L. It provides another place for me to talk with other alternatively certified teachers and get ideas and support.

Teaching is not for everyone. It’s much more of a 24-hour a day job than any of us realized when we signed up. Still, I wouldn’t change it for anything. If you do think that teaching is for you, I would strongly recommend thinking about Teach Kentucky as a way in. It’s a program that is willing to do whatever necessary to make sure its teachers are taken care of and successful.