I'm a 3rd grade teacher in Palo Alto. I teach about 20 children, 180 days a year, in reading, math, health, PE, science, social studies, etc.

EDUCATION | I was a liberal studies and sociology major in my undergrad years. I have my California teacher's credentials and a Masters degree in literacy.

HOW TO GET STARTED | Make sure you're comfortable around kids. This might sound surprising but there are some people who want to teach but as soon as they get in a room with children, they freeze up. So spend time in a classroom, think about whether or not you can handle dealing with parents.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Patience is number one. Understanding that people are different -- different kids learn differently and different parents will respond in different ways to comments about their children.

how I got started | I had no idea what I wanted to be in college. I thought I wanted to be a journalist, the next Barbara Walters. Then, a friend of mine got hired as a teacher's assistant and said that she loved it. I applied, got the job, and was a teacher's aid for special ed kindergarten. I knew then that I had to become a teacher.

why this job?| The kids. From the time I taught special ed until now, it's always been about the students. I have been teaching for 7 years. There's a special bond being with children, especially young students. It's an experience of love every day.

why I love this job!| Wow. If I had to name three things that I love, I'd say first and foremost, when a child finally understands something. That moment of "Oh I get it now!" -- that's awesome. I love that. Second, when they figure out how to read. I'm a literacy specialist and when I see a child struggling and struggling until the words finally make sense -- that's one specific example of something that I absolutely love. And third, I have to be honest, I love the vacation days of being a teacher.

my typical day| I live in San Francisco. I leave home at 6:20 in the morning to go to work in Palo Alto. I get there around 7 a.m. and prep for the day. That includes writing lesson plans, writing emails to parents, preparing material in general. At 8:05, the kids come. We have math, recess, reading and writing workshop, followed by science or social studies. I stay about an hour and a half after school each day planning for the coming days, figuring out how to teach certain things better, etc.

what they are | There are some definite emotional challenges in what I do. I have worked with autistic children, kids with cerebral palsy, kids living in poverty. It can be very hard emotionally and you can't just tell a child to "get over it". These problems are very complicated. It's also difficult to tell parents that something may be wrong with their child: that their child might have a learning disability or a social barrier -- for example, if he or she has trouble getting along with other kids.

all about growth | I love what I do. Teachers can go on to do different things, teach different subjects. I can't imagine anything else that's more "me" or a part of who I am.

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