I've been on the road and haven't been on Dotsie's forums in a while, but I love catching up with everyone. What a talented & interesting group! How wonderful that you're sharing your gifts with others.

Maryanne-- I taught public high school English in McLean, VA and then did a long-term substitute teaching stint at a middle school in Westport, CT. If you need moral support or lesson plans, just e-mail me. I'm one of those oddballs who love adolescents. I agree with 777shar that you've got to be prepared to be a disciplinarian, but I always found that if you respect the kids and make your teaching relevant to them, they behave reasonably well. I admit that I was teaching in upper-middle class school districts, which probably makes a difference; but I also taught at an inner city community college and found the same combination of respect & relevance worked there, too.

Although I quit teaching to write full-time in 2001, I'm still a teacher at heart. I travel around the country doing book talks, Defying Gravity workshops, and giving speeches on such topics as (1) being shamelessly ourselves--caring deeply about others, but not caring a hoot what they think of our choices ("If You're Gonna Make It in This World, You've Gotta Sound Like Who You Are"); (2) making a difference ("Women of Vision: From Finding a Voice to Making a Difference"); and (3) challenging the popular conception that it's selfish to follow our hearts ("Transforming Passion into Purpose").

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of these postings. [Wink]