Teaching made me feel alive and as though I was adding value to children's lives, families lives and in turn to the community. It was my true calling and I was honored to be a part of such a great school system.
During my growing years, there was most definitely a girl culture and a boy culture. Girls were encouraged to be teachers, nurses, waitresses, secretaries and home makers. Boys were led towards the math and sciences, mechanics, shop ownership, and to be the main 'bread winner' of the home. The little woman was to be happy and an adjunct to the family. In my growing years girls were raised to be perfect little sidelines and boys were nurtured to be daring, brave and strong. I defied my mom by refusing to go to the debutant classes to learn societies code of womanhood.
Growing up in that culture I honestly never questioned my path. I truly did want to be a teacher. As early as elementary school my favorite place to be was surrounded by children. By high school I was volunteering several afternoons a week at an afterschool program in the inner city. And I never once questioned my desire to go to college to become a teacher.
But we live in a new and enlightened world today, at least we are trying to be new and enlightened. Women like Dalia Feldheim are working to encourage change, to empower women to truly be who they choose to be, not who society suggests they were made to be. Somewhere in our teen years we lose that focus and hope. For many in my senior age group the time feels as though it has passed to make the leap to 'you can be anyone you want to be'. But I can still participate in that force of nature by encouraging my younger female friends to step up, be brave and refuse to be cowed into silence. I can encourage my young female friends to set aside society's warped view of women as fragile and followers. I can still participate by encouraging them to Lead Like a Girl!