Jessica's Story..... (the abridged version)

I have always wanted to be a teacher. We had to do research on a profession in 8th grade, and there I was, interviewing my 3rd grade teacher and thinking about what grade I would want to teach. I went into high school with that in the back of my mind, but not really knowing how it would play out. I spent a lot of time babysitting, and I volunteered at a therapeutic horseback riding program for kids with disabilities, which was some of the most meaningful interactions with kids that I have ever had.

I decided to go to Lewis & Clark for undergrad, and had no idea what to major in. Even though my mom told me she wouldn't pay for college if I majored in music (because she had tried to make a career out of her music major, and it just wasn't stable), I decided to anyway, with the stipulation that I would focus in music education because it had a definite job at the end of it. Within my major, and within the liberal arts pieces of the college, I took classes that I knew would be beneficial to a teaching career - Psych 100, Developmental Psych, Education 200. Even my study abroad experiences ended up focusing on children and education. My senior focus in music education had me student teaching in an elementary music classroom the fall semester, and a middle school band the spring semester. I loved the younger kids, and discovered that middle school kids freak me out.

While I would love to teach music, I am afraid that I won't get a job because music programs are constantly being cut. I decided that it was the classroom and the kids that I loved, and that I could incorporate music into any classroom I taught.

At first I thought I might attend PSU because there was an opportunity for getting both a k-8 and an elementary music masters, but by the time I tried to apply, it was way past the application deadline. Recovering from the I-have-ruined-my-life panic attack, I decided to see if LC was still accepting applications. I hadn't really considered it because it seemed to be too much of the same, and I thought maybe it wouldn't look good on a resume if I did both undergrad and grad at LC. I attended an info session, and I was blown away. It sounded like such a fabulous program, and I knew it was the place for me. So, here I am, and I am happier and happier with my decision every day. I never knew I could learn so much.