In high school, I thought about what sort of work I wanted to seek to make a living. I thought counseling or some sort of work understanding and helping individuals would be interesting enough for a whole career. I didn't know where I was going to get the money to get training and licensing. My homeroom teacher and my guidance counselor both told me to go to college. I took their advice to mean investigate possibilities, which I had not done. My mother advised me to look into the teachers college nearby. When I found the very low cost of room, board and tuition (in exchange for two years teaching in the public schools), I could see my future.
Once I got into teaching, I never left. Additional licensing requirements sent me to graduate school and into a doctoral program in statistics, measurement and experimental design. I enjoyed it very much. By age 28, I had a PhD. I settled on the University of Wisconsin and the UW campus at Stevens Point was looking for a person to replace a retiring faculty member. 37 years later, I retired.
My mother was right. Teaching is full of individualization. Sometimes, when a student just sits in front of the teacher, the teacher can tell lots about that person's worldview and personality. Sometimes it is something of a mystery and it may take more time and experience before the teacher gets some insight into that student's makeup. This individuality is a big part of the "American dream" of a life of freedom and fun and fulfillment. I think it is clear that communication, technology, travel and methods of teaching these days combine to make people more individualized than ever.
