WHAT IS YOUR GIFT FROM GOD?
I was so blessed with my mother's spirit...
God blessed you with a strong spirit. You laugh, even if sometimes you are sad. You’re loving and giving, even if sometimes you’re exhausted. Your motto is: What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. You never give up, and that’s what makes you truly strong …
Having had a challenging childhood; losing my mother at seventeen… having that strong spirit has been such a blessing…
Being told by those I needed to rely on, their telling me that I couldn’t…
Gave me that passion to move forward…
I was told as a freshman in college I didn’t belong… My test scores were not the best…due to testing anxiety…
I proved them all wrong… Receiving a Bachelor’s in Education… Master’s in Administration and Post graduate work in Counseling Education…
Making a promise to my mother before her unexpected death, I was to go to college…
Working so very hard … Starting out as a young, married mother, living on very little; loans, grants and food stamps… just to do it!!
Complicated with health issues throughout my life, and raising my daughter alone without my family, made my spirit even stronger …
Hearing those painful words that I did not belong, nor would do it… left me always having to prove myself…
And so deeply appreciating those dear and special people in my life who I do believe were sent from above...
One being, my very dearest friend and colleague Mary Towers, who I believe, was sent by mother… because, she was about that same age as what my mother’s age would have been, always giving me that comforting feeling like I felt with my mother, a loving heart and wisdom…We team taught together from 1975 to 1984 , remaining friends until last year when she died at 103…She was such a beautiful, blessing and inspiration…
There have also been those special professional mentors that recognized and celebrated my talents their advocacy ; colleagues, principals, county school personnel and superintendents…
One of whom awarded me a paid sabbatical for one year to work on a graduate level School Counseling Program, attending the University of Florida…
Another special mentor was a dear college professor in Elementary Education, who gave me an assistantship, teaching students in a college level seminar and monitoring their field placements at elementary schools in our district…
Opportunities and setbacks… throughout these years… has characterized my journey… Still advocating and volunteering, along with my teaching, in community programs that advocated for children…
Retiring on my thirtieth year, unsure of my future, due to health issues… A teacher’s pension and little savings does not last…Even losing everything…
I was to start over…Taking the Florida Teacher Exam; taking an online class for recertification…
My blessed county hiring me back … And that blessed assistant principal, who professionally knew my past… We were colleagues together at my previous school, appreciating my talent… Advocating for my being hired on the spot, by the principal, giving me a chance…
I began again at 58… Teaching first grade, at a diverse elementary school…This was to be my most challenging role as a teacher, due to lack of funding and that divisive political climate, yet my most rewarding teaching experience… Teaching from 2007 to 2015…
And this was where my voice got louder… speaking out for our precious children….
When retiring, again, my grand finale…
One of those special principals who recognized my spirit and talent to our young faculty as a teacher... They should aspire to become...
All my passion for teaching , volunteering, and advocacy for speaking out …
I felt I would be that teacher for all our precious children to inspire …
Never to Give Up…
Janis Sexton...Teacher...Advocate 