Lifelong Learner

I'm an educator in the public school system in America.  I'm a Speech-Language Pathologist, currently in a middle school.  I help kids learn how to use and understand language, correctly make speech sounds, interact and understand social rules, and learn strategies for speech fluency. 

However, like the rest of the world, I'm stuck at home.  If I'm being honest, the home learning programs we're trying in my district are NOT super effective for my students.  In my frustration of teaching my own kids at home and trying to provide therapy online, I'm struggling mentally.  I want to aim for something positive in the time away from the normal I once knew.  So, I'm deciding to begin my own learning journey.

Since I've been in the public schools, I've gotten dozens of email "invitations" to meet with financial planners who want to "help" me get a plan for my retirement.  It always feels sleazy, sales-ey and honestly - unclear.  403b? 457b? IRA?  What are all these arbitrary letters and numbers?  Surrender fees? Other fees listed as percentages?  So, I did nothing.  I'm 36 and only know that I have a mandatory pension and pennies in a 401k (MORE letters!) from a previous (before I was in schools) job.  

So, I am deciding to dig in.  I need to be the lifelong learner I'm called to be.  Welcome on the journey with me, the Penny Pinching Pathologist.