Have you ever wondered on your day off what it is like to be in a totally different profession?

Like a crossing guard, a seamstress, a woodworker, a streetlight repair tech? There are so many choices out there and so many paths to arrive at an interesting or inspiring career that also pays the bills.

When I think about this, my mind goes to my journey and how I landed being an educational consultant.

I remember deciding in third grade to be a teacher when I grew up. I didn’t really know why I was interested in that profession, but I was quite sure of it.

I also remember loving my science classes. It wasn’t necessarily a specific passion nor was I particularly gifted in the area, but I remember enjoying the wondering, the what ifs, the let’s try this…

What I didn’t realize at the time was that the wondering for those units had already been figured out by others. The teacher knew what was going to happen. They knew what the data should show and prove. And, I think most of my classmates had long figured this out too. If you followed the directions, you got the right outcome, and earned the A.

Meanwhile, I was still exploring and trying and testing and even playing with the process to see what would happen if… This did not lend itself to getting the A, but I realize now it brought tremendous intellectual joy for me.

I entered college thinking I would keep going with my interest in science and added an arts class to balance out what I thought would be the heavy math/science workload. What I didn’t realize was that my brain would be super-taxed and inspired during my Drawing 101 course! It was an amazing motivating brain-awakening experience!

So I was pulled more and more towards creative art and art analysis and ended up a Studio Art/Art History major!

I eventually arrived as a classroom teacher in Chicago. I was quite passionate and committed to integrating wonder, curiosity, and arts integration into the content curriculum. This too was not the norm, but my students and families really responded positively.

It’s these same skills that pushed me to take the risk to start my own educational consulting practice.

It is an awesome professional challenge.

Filled with wonder, joy, and inspiration to create together and deepen understanding.

I love it. I can’t imagine doing anything different.

Or wait? I just had a thought!

I wonder if I could be a…