While this past year was my first year at Kenwood Academy, I have been working with students in an educational role for close to 8 years.  I started my teaching career in 1992 after receiving my Bachelor's Degree in English.  I taught 5th grade at Hefferen Elementary, which is located on the west side of Chicago.  Soon I got the opportunity to get my Masters Degree for free by working for a University as an Admissions Counselor.  I worked with high school students as they began the difficult college selection process.  Upon receiving my Masters Degree, I immediately wanted to return to the The Chicago Public School System.
Fortunately, I was blessed to land a job as a Guidance Counselor.  It is a position that I will never take for granted.......
 
 
 
 

A STORY THAT MY FAVORITE TEACHER ONCE TOLD ME

ONE DAY A MAN, WHO HAD BEEN DRIVING MANY MILES, PULLED INTO A GAS STATION TO FILL UP HIS TANK.  HE SAW THE ATTENDANT AND FIGURED HE'D ENGAGE THE MAN IN A LITTLE CONVERSATION.  "SAY, MY WIFE AND I ARE THINKING ABOUT MOVING OUT TO THIS AREA," SAID THE ROAD WARY TRAVELER.  "WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE AROUND HERE?"  THE  ATTENDANT PAUSED AS HE CLEANED HIS HANDS AND SAID, " WELL,.... WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE WHERE YOU'RE  FROM?"  "WHERE I'M FROM, EVERYBODY IS MEAN, INTOLERANT, AND UNLIKABLE," SAID THE TRAVELER.  THE ATTENDANT PAUSED AND ANSWERED, "WELL I RECKON YOU'LL FIND THAT TO BE TRUE AROUND HERE AS WELL."  WITH THAT, THE TRAVELER FINISHED PAYING FOR HIS GAS, THANKED THE ATTENDANT, AND WAS ONCE AGAIN ON HIS WAY.  A SHORT TIME LATER, ANOTHER TRAVELER PULLED INTO THE THE STATION.  HE TOO HAD THE  SAME QUESTION.  "SIR, I WAS THINKING OF MOVING OUT TO THIS AREA AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE AROUND HERE."  AGAIN THE ATTENDANT ANSWERED THE QUESTION WITH A QUESTION.  "WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE WHERE YOU'RE FROM?"  THE TRAVELER PAUSED AND SMILED AS HE SAID,  "THEY ARE FRIENDLY, POLITE, AND OVERALL NICE PEOPLE."  THE ATTENDANT PAUSED AND SAID, "WELL,....I RECKON YOU'LL FIND THAT TO BE TRUE AROUND HERE AS WELL."  THE SECOND TRAVELER SMILED WITH A FEELING OF REINFORCEMENT AND WAS ON HIS WAY.

                                                                                                            JOHN WOODEN
WHAT KIND OF STUDENTS DO YOU TEACH???
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