I wanted to become a counselor because I had such an awful counselor when I was a student. I wanted to do it right.
I did not start out as a counselor. I was a special education teacher for 14 years, six years in Massachusetts and then I came back to Rhode Island to work in Providence middle schools. I worked at Gilbert Stuart and Nathan Bishop but I didn't like it. You really must be a special kind of person to work with middle grade students.
I like working in a high school. I moved away from special education work after I received my Master's Degree in Guidance from Providence College in 1998. I did my undergraduate work in Virginia, at Virginia State University, where I majored in education. I always wanted to be teacher, even when I was in fourth grade.
I like Central High School; I like helping students and making a difference one student at a time. I just like being around young people.
I remember having plans at 14 to go to Henry Barnard School and continue on to college at Rhode Island College. But I had family in Virginia and had a chance to visit them often and wanted to go to school away from home. I wanted a different experience.
I cannot imagine what I would have done if I did not decide to be a teacher. My family did own a funeral home and for a short period I thought maybe I would go to an embalming school and work in the family business. I often helped my brother who was an embalmer by doing make up. I actually found the work very interesting. I remember going to the drug store to buy make-up and supplies I needed and it all seemed very normal to me. You do have to get used to it, but I became very comfortable with what I was doing.
My family eventually sold the funeral business, so I guess I made the right choice. My father Robert Bailey worked for Providence schools; he was well known as a civil rights leader and educator. The Robert Bailey Elementary School is named after him. I just always wanted to be in education as well.
What would I do if I had more personal time? I would really like to travel especially to Nigeria, Greece and Egypt. I am very interested in the cultures of these countries and I really wish I could visit them one of these days.
Andy Delong>>
Return to Introduction>>
