Besides being from a family with several teachers coming before me, I was mainly inspired those great teachers I had during my own time in school. I remember how they made me feel and wanted to do that for the next generations of students. In particular, my freshman college literature professor showed me that joy, comedy, and personality have just as much a place in the classroom as rigor and pedagogy.

Maybe not the most memorable but an experience that increased the trajectory of my career; I was unexpectedly given the task of teaching an advanced ELA class for 8th graders, nearly all gifted in that area, on my own. Being their GT teacher, I knew them and what they needed, but this was a different role. What an experience to stay a few steps ahead of them on a daily basis and to fully let their interests/needs drive the curriculum. It was incredible and they still send messages about it.

Disney World! Or I suppose pay off a little debt, donate to our church, and find a way of giving back to some type of educational program or two in my community. Then, Disney World.