OU student pursues teaching career despite harsh Oklahoma economy
It took a small crisis and one night spent lying awake in bed for education junior EJ Parker to realize his true passion and pursue teaching high school history in Oklahoma.
His mom initially told him that he was wasting his time when she found out he had switched his major from journalism to education.
“She put a lot of emphasis on me making money because she and my dad did a lot of work to get me where I am now. She said, ‘You deserve more than that,’” he said.
Once Parker explained pursuing teaching was for his own happiness, his mom was more receptive to his career choice, but he often runs into criticism from others.
“I still get people who say, ‘You want to be a teacher here? If you want to be a teacher, why not move to Texas?’ I don’t want to live in Texas. Nothing against Texas, but this is my home. I’m not going to abandon it,” he said.
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