My Biographical Connection as an Educator by Erica Neal

eneal15_1 — 2025-02-06 18:42:43 UTC

I was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1986. I was born into a family where both my mother and father worked outside the home, so I understood the value of pursuing a career of interest and one that I would be proud of. My love for teaching started at Olentangy Elementary School in Lewis Center, Ohio. I would say I was in first or second grade when I knew that loved school!

eneal15_1 — 2025-02-06 18:44:35 UTC

In 2005, I graduated high school and started college at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. The value of education remained the same throughout my elementary, middle, and high school experience, therefore I entered college as an education major, focusing on middle grades education. While choosing the specific subjects was difficult, choosing education was not. Through my clinical experiences, my love of teaching continued to go.

eneal15_1 — 2025-02-06 18:46:16 UTC

In 2009, I graduated from college and got my first teaching job at Teays Valley East Middle School in Commercial Point, Ohio. I did not know the school before driving to the interview, but quickly fell in love with the community. I spent 9 years teaching at this school in various roles, learning to LOVE teaching Language Arts and math at the middle school level.

eneal15_1 — 2025-02-06 18:48:51 UTC

In 2019, my husband, two daughters, and I had to make a move to North Carolina for my husband's job. This was devastating to me because I truly felt that I was comfortable and enjoyed where I was in my career. Once I found out about the move, I found a job teaching near Charlotte, NC and had some struggles feeling the same way about teaching as I did in Ohio.

eneal15_1 — 2025-02-06 19:01:12 UTC

Ultimately, my struggles with my new educational environment led me to pursuing my master's degree at UNC Charlotte. Having such a great experience then helped me to make the decision to stop teaching, become a full time students, and pursue a doctoral degree, as well. Overall, my path that led me here, although rocky at times, was one that I am very proud of.