why i love my job(s): part three

(Parts One and Two)



For my third (and final!) job, I hang out with this guy every day, and it's the best.  Some of our favorite activities include: eating ice cream, riding our tandem bike, swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and walking the dog.

why i love my job(s): part two

(Part One)

My second job is as a Middle School Youth Minister.  Every Sunday, between 100-200 middle school students stare at me and anxiously wait for me to impart wisdom.

Actually, it doesn't really resemble that at all.  Basically, I'm in charge of the 6th-8th graders before their 9th grade year (which is a year spent on the study of Confirmation)...so we spend ninety minutes every Sunday acting like crazy people, praying, learning some catechesis, reading some Bible, and generally being awesome.

There are two rules at our Youth Group: Work Hard. Be Kind.

Generally, it goes something like this:

1.) Mingle
2.) Play giant group game (think Toilet Paper Dodgeball)
3.) Break into two groups.
4.) Large Group Teaching
5.) Small Group Activity
6.) Large Group Review (essentially, if a kid knows an answer, I throw candy at them)

I love my job because it combines two of my favorite things: being Catholic and middle schoolers.  I have an awesome team of adults and an awesome team of high schoolers who help me.  Here are some reasons I love my job:

Clearly we're learning a lot.

Middle schoolers, man.

And this is our latest T-shirt...

I love my job.

why i love my job(s): part one

I have three jobs, and I love them all.

First things first, my "main" job.  My full-time job is at a school for students on the autism spectrum.  I work as an intervention specialist in the vocational program.  Our school (which is fabulous), has several different programs: the preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school are run on a 50/50 split: students on the autism spectrum to peer models.  Each of these run as a typical school with supports in place to promote success for the unique needs and strengths of people on the autism spectrum.

The vocational program (where I work) runs a bit differently.  My students are between the ages of 15 and 21, most are limited verbally or non-verbal and use various other means to communicate (iPad apps such as Proloquo2Go, Dynavox systems, sign language).  Our program focuses on preparing students as whole people to live complete and full lives.  We work on community involvement, job skills, social skills, self-management of behavior, as well as academic skills.

I love my students.  I am so grateful that I get to be a part of their successes, challenges, and lives.  They make me laugh, smile, think, and constantly re-evaluate.  Things that used to seem important, don't seem so important when I'm at work.  They keep me grounded.  They give me perspective.  They are truly a blessing in my life.  You can read more about how much I love my students here and here.

I love my co-workers.  I work with the most supportive, hilarious, weird group of people.  They make every day fun and are all so committed and passionate about supporting our students to meet their full potential.  Here's an example of how great they are:

I love my job.  It challenges me (daily multiple times every day).  It's my vocation: I feel like I'm doing what I am supposed to do in my little corner of the world.  I don't know anyone who looks forward to going to work more than I do.