It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love with School

Robert Allen’s mom always believed that education was the most important thing. She had a dream that one day he would understand that and pursue a college degree. Allen, however, did not accept this truth until later in life, and now her dream has finally become his reality as he has earned a Master of Arts in Education and completed his eighth year of teaching.

Allen was a student athlete and originally had dreams of pursuing that after high school. His mom, however, restricted him from speaking to scouts and encouraged him to pursue higher education instead. Unfortunately, things did not turn out the way either of them expected.

“It didn’t work out the first time I went to college,” Allen explained. “I got hurt, I was having trouble, and then eventually I dropped out of school.”

Although he left, he was determined not to let that chapter of his life close forever. He promised his mom to complete what he started.

“I always held on to that promise that I was going to go back; I just had to take some time and figure out what direction I wanted to go,” Allen said.

Eventually, he decided to fulfill his promise and return to school. This time, however, he did not have scholarships to rely on, so he started back up at a community college in Riverside, California and then transferred to California Baptist University. There he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science.

After earning his BA, Allen worked in group homes and then went on to become a probation officer. Unfortunately, he witnessed some of his friend’s cousins and nephews end up in the juvenile detention system and it deeply affected him.

“I wanted to be a stronger influence before teens started to make harmful decisions,” Allen said.

He began to do some soul searching to determine what his long-term goals were. He started coaching baseball, football, and soccer at his alma mater and taking education classes.

“I thought of the people in my life that made the biggest difference and the ones that mentored me the most,” Allen reflected. “Of course, my parents and family were always there for me, but so were my teachers and coaches.”

During middle and high school, Allen witnessed many of his peers going down the wrong paths early on in life, much like the teens he saw as a probation officer. He also suffered a tragedy during that time that could have pushed him to do the same. Fortunately, Allen had many mentors in school that helped save his life.

“I had friends who were in gangs through middle school and high school,” Allen shared. “I didn’t participate in those things because I was always involved in sports. During high school, my father passed away.  It was my family, coaches, and teachers that kept me going on the right track. They were always there for guidance and for any help I needed.”

It was with this realization that Allen’s purpose in life became obvious.

“That’s the direction I wanted to go” Allen said. “I wanted give back what my teachers and coaches gave to me.”

Allen moved from California to Oklahoma and worked for Dell. After six years, he bridged his knowledge of technology and his desire to work in education and began working at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC). He worked in the Community Outreach and Education program teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and technology for adults.

“I had a lot of fun doing that, but I wanted to get into public school education and also be a coach,” Allen said.

Allen went on to work for Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) as an emergency certified teacher. At first, he was offered a position to teach computer classes, but instead the district wanted him to be an English Language Development (ELD) teacher. It was at that moment when he found passion for this career. He became alternatively certified in psychology, sociology and history, and eventually moved on to Western Heights to teach 7 and 8 grade.

“I think it’s my calling,” Allen shared. “I feel comfortable after growing up in an EL family.”

Allen has family from Spain and the Philippines, so he was used to hearing multiple languages in his home while growing up. His grandfather alone spoke four. This made ELD programs an essential part of his youth and gave him a deeper understanding of his students.

“My kids and I talk about the same things and share similar experiences,” Allen said. “I understand that sometimes they just need more time to process.”

Once he began working at Western Heights, Allen decided it was time to expand on his original promise to his mom as well as his newfound dreams and earn a Masters in Education from the University of Phoenix.

“I told my mom, ‘I’m gonna get it,’” Allen explained. “I wanted to prove, not only to other people but to myself, that I could keep my promise and I could be successful.”

This was no easy task. Although he had experience under his belt and years of growth, Allen now had to juggle teaching full-time and coaching on top of his personal schooling.  

“It was tiring,” Allen said. “After teaching all day, I’d have to come home and read, answer questions and be engaged.”

Additionally, because of coaching, there were nights he would not come home until after 10:00 or 11:00 pm. Sometimes he even had to stay up past 1:00 am to complete this schoolwork and still get up early to go to work the next day.

“I hope that it also provides motivation for the kids that I’m teaching,” Allen added. “I can say, ‘Look, I came from here, I did this, and I can go even further. I was never the smartest kid in school. I failed sometimes. People might tell you that you can’t, but if I can do it, anyone can do it.”  

For the past two years, he made the sacrifice and pushed through. Although the university offered opportunities for their students to take breaks, he knew it would not be the right choice for him.

“I said, ‘Nope. I’m just going to barrel through it,’” Allen joked. “I know from experience that once you stop something, it’s hard to get back in.”

Allen officially earned his M. Ed in Instruction and Curriculum in October. With his degree in hand, he planned to become certified in ESL this summer. Although he achieved these goals, many in his position do not.

The number of emergency certifications was at an all-time high, but unlike Allen, many do not pursue long-term careers in education due to a number of reasons. On his journey, he was fortunate to have other jobs that had transferable skills and had taken education courses. He recognized how much more difficult it is to get into the profession without a formal background or experience.

“I would say classroom management is probably the number one problem,” Allen said. “Without that, it’s hard to get anything done. They’re trying to build relationships with the kids, but they can’t get through.”

Reflecting on his own struggles and experiences as a student, Allen works hard to live up to the teachers and coaches he had in his life and avoids doing the things he hated in school. He believes that honesty is the strongest bridge in connecting with students.

“I tell teachers all the time to be truthful with your students,” Allen shared. “Tell them why we’re doing this and where we’re taking them to. As long as you take time to be real with them, they’re okay with it.”

Additionally, Allen hopes that schools and associations like OEA will continue to provide resources and support for emergency and alternatively certified educators so that they too can stay in this career and find fulfillment.

“It’s fun to see the kids grow,” Allen reflected. “You watch them change from semester to semester and you show them how much they’ve accomplished, and they’re always amazed. It feels good to be able to show them how hard they worked.”

Even though Allen did not have a traditional path to education, his many achievements prove how strong his perseverance and passion for this profession is.

“Being able to pass along what I was taught gives a great sense of pride for my mom and my family,” Allen shared.

Like his EL students, Allen had much more to learn and prove than others in his position, but he earned his right to be where he belonged. His path was not clear and straight at times, but he did reach his dreams and even went above and beyond a simple promise he made to his mom.