From Dream to Calling: My Journey into Teaching
By Vanessa Leddick-Cole
When I finally stepped into the classroom, it felt like coming home.
For years, I carried a quiet dream—to teach. But between parenting, a full-time job, and the fear of starting over, it never felt possible. Still, the pull toward the classroom never left me. I wanted to do work that mattered, that built confidence in children who doubted themselves the way I once did.
Teaching first grade showed me that purpose isn’t always a straight path—it’s something you grow into with courage and patience. Every day, I get to see the spark in a child’s eyes when they realize they can learn something new. Those small moments are sacred to me.
I teach in both English and Spanish, weaving language into connection. Sometimes, a single phrase in Spanish can calm a nervous child or open a door to understanding. I’ve watched English-speaking students pick up Spanish words just to help their classmates. That exchange of kindness reminds me that learning is not just about content—it’s about community.
Now, when I walk into my classroom, I see more than standards and lesson plans. I see stories unfolding—children finding their voices, learning patience with one another, building trust. And I see myself in them: the student who once felt unseen, now becoming the teacher who notices.
My purpose is simple—to make learning possible for every child who walks through my door. To remind them that understanding takes time, and that joy and curiosity belong in every classroom.
Because teaching isn’t just what I do. It’s who I was meant to become.
My path here wasn’t easy. Balancing motherhood, work, and coursework required grit. There were nights when I studied after everyone was asleep and mornings when I questioned whether I could do it all. But the deeper I went, the more I understood that teaching was never just a career—it was a calling.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NEWLY ONLINE MEd Program
About the author
Roberts Wesleyan University
As a community of learners committed to historic Christianity, Roberts Wesleyan University seeks to prepare thoughtful, spiritually mature, service-oriented people who will help transform society.
We are a private Christian university in Rochester, New York, offering over 80 undergraduate and graduate programs.
As the only NCAA Division II institution in the region and member of the East Coast Conference, Roberts is committed to academic excellence, spiritual formation, and competitive athletics.