Reflections--My Life since September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001--The events of the day were a wake-up call for me that has had profound impact on my life.  That morning I went to a water aerobics class at the wellness center associated with my local hospital.  As I came out of the shower I saw the news broadcast of a plane flying into the Twin Towers in New York.  Our first thought was that it must have been an awful accident.  In just a few minutes, the second plane hit and it became clear that it was no accident.  The day progressed in slow motion.  I was due for an annual physical at my doctor's office later in the morning and was there when I heard about the atack on the Pentagon.  While in the doctor's office, I was advised that I needed a biopsy because I had an elevated PSA level in my routine bloodwork.  The biopsy revealed that I had prostate cancer in six of the twelve cores they tested.

Attacks from without and from within--this was truly a wake-up call for me.  A few days later (once the flight ban had been lifted) I flew to New York City for a second opinion about my condition.  I decided to have my prostate completely removed and, once I was cancer free, I also decided that it was time for me to make a difference for K-12 students.  I delayed my surgery only long enough to freeze some sperm at the University of Illinois at Chicago sperm bank, then had my surgery in November.  It was completely successful. 

When I had recovered I went to the local Regional Office of Education in Kane County, Illinois (where I live) and offered my services.  I had a doctorate in education, though it was for teaching adults rather than children.  I was advised that, because I had a doctorate, I must also have a bachelors--the degree required to be a substitute teacher.  I mentioned that I also spoke Spanish and was advised that, if I could pass the Target Language Proficiency exam for Spanish, I could get a provisional bilingual teaching certificate (a T-29 certificate) which would allow me to be a full-time teacher of English language learners (ELLs) for six years--with a possible extension of two more years while I worked on getting my credentials to teach children.

I substitute taught until I could take and pass the Target Language Proficiency exam in Spanish.  My passing scores came back in November, 2002, and in December, 2002, I was invited to be a mid-year replacement bilingual (Spanish) teacher at Larkin High School in Elgin (school district U-46).  I began my teaching there and have since then earned a post-doctoral Master of Arts in Teaching and have earned Illinois certification to teach children from Kindergarden through ninth grade (K-9) (an Elementary Teaching Certificate with endorsements to teach in middle school in the areas of language arts and social studies.  Last summer I completed five three-graduate-hour courses at the University of Phoenix Online to add to some coursework completed with my doctorate degree.  At the conclusion of those courses the state of Illinois gave me approval as a bilingual (Spanish) teacher and as a teacher of English as a second language.  I am now fully certified to teach in Illinois through ninth grade.

Beginning at Larkin High School, I have now taught in two high schools, an elementary school, and two middle schools.  I am still cancer-free and, in the six years I have been teaching, it has become a high priority to be available to spend quality time each day with my now 94-year-old mother who lives nearby.

Visit the profile page on my website to access a multimedia version of my digital portfolio for education.  For a copy of the digital portfolio without narration, visit http://joelmonty.wikispaces.com/ and scroll down to the digital portfolio for education link.

On September 11, 2009, I am still cancer free.  I have learned much from my years of teaching English language learners (ELLs) and have built what I have learned into the framework I offer to schools and businesses.  Visit my business-related digital portfolio on the same pages listed above for the education version of the profile.