Where did I come from?

[W & S Koontz <koontzs@HORIZON.HIT.NET>]

I was a readaholic from an early age... Because of my reading I *fell*  for
the field of archaeology, my first major in college, (even though my
parents said, "be practical, be a teacher!") Well, there was this cute
Senior boy...need I say more?   He was a Social Studies teacher and coach,
& I forsook (?) it all to follow him to a little backwoodsy town in Kansas.
I then got practical and got my associates degree and was a bookkeeper at a
local hardware & lumberyard for 17/18 years.   Never stopped my mania for
reading exept for a 2 or 3 month break after my first child was born (my
mother said that baby would die of starvation or neglect while I was
finishing the book I was reading!)

Then one day, a grandmother was paying her bill at the business I worked
for and was furious at a teacher for telling her grandson that he'd turn
out to be nothing but a carpenter like his father if he didn't try harder
at school.

Those 18 years as a bookkeeper working with carpenters, plumbers, farmers
and just plain old people helped me see how many people have made
adaptations for disabilities, how smart a carpenter needs to be to  remain
a carpenter, etc, etc, etc.   I decided from that moment to get back into
education, if only to help kids learn to adapt, love learning, love what
they do and do what they love!

Well, one degree was earned, but no openings for elementary teachers in the
local area.   But, one superintendent (who didn't even know how much I
loved to read!) asked if I would be interested in becoming a librarian. He
hired me, I went to summer school three summers and became a full fledged,
certified, bona fide, degreed librarian (with on the job training!)

In those eight years I've automated the two libraries in my district, gone
from one 1/2 time aide to two full-time, checkouts have increased a
hundredfold, and hopefully taught thousands of kids ( some teachers) to
love reading, love learning and how to adapt.....   Mom's saying, "I told
you so!"

And I'm in heaven.....

koontzs@horizon.hit.net  (home)
koontzs@usd286.hit.net  (school)
Sharon Koontz, K-12 LMS
U.S.D. 286
Sedan KS 67361
"Never judge a book by it's movie."- J.W. Eagan
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