My name is Tammy Landers. I have two fantastic children, one girl and one boy. I am married to an incredibly patient and supportive husband and I say this because he is the reason I was able to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher. I was 35 years old, both of my children were off to school; I had been a stay at home mom for 10 years by then. I took a job at our local middle school, not because I always dreamed of working in a school with children but for purely selfish reasons, I wanted to be on the same schedule as my children, work while they are at school and home when they are home. I literally feel in love with my job as a special education paraprofessional working with 6th - 8th graders on every subject. I knew then that I had found my nitch in life, I had finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I talked with my husband and told him I wanted to be a teacher but I was apprehensive about going back to school for seven or eight years. It would take me that long to finish considering I had no intentions of quitting the job I loved, thus I could only take classes part time at night. My husband convinced me that if it was something I felt passionate about that I should not look back and just, slowly but surely, push on. I never regretted that decision for one moment. At times, it was very difficult having a full time job, a husband, a home to take care of, and two kids with many activities but it was so worth it. I graduated from Western Michigan University (Go Broncos) in the spring of 2010 and not only walked away with a diploma that will allow me a job doing what I love, but I have a sense of accomplishment in myself and a sense of pride in the eyes of my children.