{"id":2945,"date":"2025-11-14T18:09:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/?p=2945"},"modified":"2025-11-14T18:15:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:15:04","slug":"working-mom-turned-teacher-jillians-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/working-mom-turned-teacher-jillians-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Working Mom Turned Teacher: Jillian&#8217;s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jillian Discovers Her Path to Teaching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Jillian\u2019s experience as a working-mom-turned-teacher begins in her hometown, where she grows up, works, and eventually finds her calling. She says she worked \u201cat a local gym part-time and as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ABCTE\/posts\/american-board-grads-have-you-accepted-a-new-teaching-contract-let-us-know-where\/1141565984685619\/\">paraprofessional<\/a> in my current school district.\u201d Her time supporting students changes her plans. \u201cI loved being in the classroom and quickly realized that education was where I was meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her community shapes her career choice. \u201cI chose to pursue a career in education because I wanted to make a difference in the same community that shaped me.\u201d Jillian explains that she understands the obstacles many students face, and she wants to be someone who believes in them and helps them see their strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Balancing Work, Parenting, and Certification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When Jillian begins exploring certification paths, she needs an option that fits her busy life. She explains, \u201cI learned about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.americanboard.org\">American Board&#8217;s program<\/a> while exploring different paths to teacher certification.\u201d At that time, she is working and caring for her one-year-old. She needs flexibility, and she finds it. \u201cThe flexibility of the ABCTE program made it possible for me to pursue my dream of teaching while still supporting my family.\u201d Notably, Jillian details that the program offers a practical, accessible route to certification, which she appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flexibility becomes the part she values most. \u201cIt allowed me to study at my own pace while working full time.\u201d Jillian also offers advice to future candidates. She says, \u201cSet a schedule and stick to it, even if it\u2019s just a little time each day.\u201d She adds that support matters. \u201cColleagues, friends, and mentors can make a huge difference when you\u2019re preparing for the exams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Teaching at Home and Giving Back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Jillian teaches middle school English and Geography in her hometown in New Hampshire. \u201cI\u2019ve now been working here for the past ten years!\u201d She usually teaches seventh grade, but in her small school, she sometimes teaches sixth or eighth as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jillian states, &#8220;Teaching in the town where I grew up means the world to me. Having been raised in a low-income community, I understand many of the challenges my students face beyond the classroom. This perspective shapes everything I do as an educator. I approach teaching with empathy and a deep sense of purpose, recognizing that school may not always be my students\u2019 top priority as they navigate responsibilities and circumstances outside of their control. My goal is to meet them where they are, offering flexibility, encouragement, and support to help them succeed. I strive to create a classroom that feels safe, welcoming, and consistent, a place where every student knows that someone believes in them and is committed to helping them reach their full potential.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her favorite part of teaching is staying rooted in her community. \u201cI love that I get to teach in my hometown and give back to the community that raised me.\u201d Jillian explains that she feels inspired by her students\u2019 resilience and creativity. She also enjoys building curriculum with her colleagues. She explains that they create \u201ca diverse and engaging English Language Arts curriculum that reflects a wide range of voices and experiences.\u201d Jillian gets to watch students connect with stories that reflect their lives. \u201cSeeing students connect with what they\u2019re reading\u2026 is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jillian\u2019s journey shows how determination and opportunity can help any working mom turned teacher build a meaningful career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your Turn to Become a Teacher<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can give back to the hometown you love by becoming a teacher. Teaching lets you invest directly in your community. You support students who face the same challenges you once did. You help families, strengthen schools, and shape the future of your town. American Board offers the fastest and most affordable route to teacher certification. The program is designed to help people bloom where they are planted. With flexible, self-paced study, you can stay rooted in your community and still move toward the career you want. Becoming a teacher allows you to give back in the most meaningful way possible.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jillian.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"802\" src=\"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jillian-1024x802.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2946\" style=\"width:588px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jillian-1024x802.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jillian-300x235.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jillian-768x601.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.americanboard.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jillian.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jillian Discovers Her Path to Teaching Jillian\u2019s experience as a working-mom-turned-teacher begins in her hometown, where she grows up, works, and eventually finds her calling. She says she worked \u201cat a local gym part-time and as a paraprofessional in my current school district.\u201d Her time supporting students changes her plans. \u201cI loved being in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":2947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[151,148,134,150,132,142],"class_list":["post-2945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-board-success-stories","tag-affordable-teacher-certification","tag-community-impact","tag-online-teacher-certification","tag-teacher-inspiration","tag-teacher-testimonials","tag-transition-to-teaching"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Working Mom Turned Teacher: Jillian&#039;s 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