My name is Heather Holland. I am a second grade teach in Burke County Public Schools. I have taught for four years. My career, as an elementary teacher, has literally shaped my life. I was job searching in Ohio, my home state, where I quickly found that Ohio had a surplus of elementary education teachers. In my first three years of college, I was told that I would have no problems finding a job. It wasn’t until my senior year that my school began to divulge that finding a job could be difficult. I was at a teacher job fair in Pennsylvania when I met a recruiter from Burke County Public Schools. I was intrigued by the presentation of the school district, their values, and commitment to education. I was asked to come to North Carolina and not long after, I visited twice, and then accepted my position at George Hildebrand Elementary in Burke County Public School District. And that is where my life began in North Carolina. I was in a very serious head-on car accident in February 2006. I was in rehabilitation for over one year and had to put my teaching career and graduate work on hold. I am now, walking, teaching, and back in school! I feel great and am so thankful for everyday. My graduate work is in Reading Instruction (K-12). I hope to have my master’s degree by the end of my fall 2007 courses.
I first remember learning to write my name at age 3. This seems early but I am almost certain that’s what my mom told me. I was so proud that I could do this. I showed everyone. I began reading in Kindergarten. I remember the little black and white books that we had to cut out, fold, and use to practice reading. In first grade, I remember my teacher, Mrs. Little. She would write words on the chalkboard for us to decode. She called us individually to the board to sound out a word. I recall her being upset with me when I could not sound out “circus”. She actually turned out the lights out on me and the other kids proceeded to lunch. I stood there not knowing how to sound out this soft “c” and “r” controlled word. In second grade, I was put in “Remedial Reading” because I had trouble with reading comprehension. I was so embarrassed to have to go to this class because I knew that I was not doing well. My beginnings in reading did not predict my future because I was Valedictorian of my graduating class and received a full-academic scholarship to college. I like to tell parents of children who are struggling in reading my story—to offer them hope.
Because of this difficult beginning in reading, I have chosen Reading Instruction as my master’s work. I want to be sure that what happened to me, as a child, does not happen to more children. My goal is to get kids excited about reading, let them know that we all learn at different rates, and that reading is the key that unlocks their future. Reading can be fun and I want to be the avenue that makes that makes reading fun for kids.
I began playing the piano at age 7. My dad bought me my first piano. It was an old piano that he had restored to perfection for me. I loved it. The first piano selection that I remember playing over and over and over… was the theme song to Beauty and the Beast. I had an amazing piano teacher in middle school and high school. She only allowed me to play classical music. I entered piano competitions and was so shocked that I could perform in front of audiences. I am not comfortable speaking in front of adults or other professionals. My gift is ‘performing’ and speaking in my classroom in front of children, not adults. I ‘sweat bullets’ at parent-teacher night. I am not sure why, but I’m just not comfortable—no matter how prepared I am.
In my personal life, I love to read. I mostly read ‘self-help’/ personal growth type books. I do not read much fiction. My friends tease me about this. They say that I cannot read anything unless it is teaching me something. Yes, they are right. I have an insatiable desire to learn.