I recently investigated the possibility of retiring early. I considered accepting a job as the full-time preaching minister for the church in Grove, Oklahoma, and I needed to see how it would cost to buy the last 2.15 years of my retirement pension to free myself for the job. I have been filling in on most Sundays since the previous preacher left (I also preach for the church in Columbus, Kansas, on most weeks when I'm not in Grove.). It was bittersweet that I would be leaving a 28-year career - a virtual lifetime of commitment and dedication to education.
It was also bittersweet that we decided not to pursue that career change at this time.
During those weeks, I relived many of those years. Retirement will come soon enough, and I'm sure I will relive them once again - a life passing before my eyes. It is always interesting to reminisce I've put together a timeline of my educational career from the moment I left high school to the end of this school year.
It was also bittersweet that we decided not to pursue that career change at this time.
During those weeks, I relived many of those years. Retirement will come soon enough, and I'm sure I will relive them once again - a life passing before my eyes. It is always interesting to reminisce I've put together a timeline of my educational career from the moment I left high school to the end of this school year.
1983
Mr. Hoggatt begins working for his degree in Communications from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO). He takes classes to add a secondary teaching certificate to his degree program.
1985
Mr. Hoggatt graduates from USAO.
1986
Mr. Hoggatt completes his student-teaching requirements at Yukon High School and Mustang Middle School (Oklahoma) and receives his teaching credentials.
1986
Mr. Hoggatt is hired at The Wilds, soon becoming the manager and education director for the outdoor park.
1989
Mr. Hoggatt returns to USAO for a year to fulfill requirements for a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education.
1990
Mr. Hoggatt becomes a fifth grade history and reading teacher at the Page-Woodsen Fifth Year Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
1990
Mr. Hoggatt transfers to Buchanan Elementary School in Oklahoma City, where he teaches gifted second graders in a room with no walls.
1991
The principal encourages Mr. Hoggatt to teach a class of gifted first graders.
1992
Mr. Hoggatt is thrust into a combination class of gifted first and second graders, "looping" with the latter. The staff nominates him to be the Teacher of the Year for Buchanan elementary, but he has too little experience to qualify by the district's standards.
1993
Mr. Hoggatt earns a small grant for math manipulatives.
1993-1995
For the first time, Mr. Hoggatt teaches the same grade (second) in the same room for two years in a row.
Mr. Hoggatt begins working for his degree in Communications from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO). He takes classes to add a secondary teaching certificate to his degree program.
1985
Mr. Hoggatt graduates from USAO.
1986
Mr. Hoggatt completes his student-teaching requirements at Yukon High School and Mustang Middle School (Oklahoma) and receives his teaching credentials.
1986
Mr. Hoggatt is hired at The Wilds, soon becoming the manager and education director for the outdoor park.
1989
Mr. Hoggatt returns to USAO for a year to fulfill requirements for a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education.
1990
Mr. Hoggatt becomes a fifth grade history and reading teacher at the Page-Woodsen Fifth Year Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
1990
Mr. Hoggatt transfers to Buchanan Elementary School in Oklahoma City, where he teaches gifted second graders in a room with no walls.
1991
The principal encourages Mr. Hoggatt to teach a class of gifted first graders.
1992
Mr. Hoggatt is thrust into a combination class of gifted first and second graders, "looping" with the latter. The staff nominates him to be the Teacher of the Year for Buchanan elementary, but he has too little experience to qualify by the district's standards.
1993
Mr. Hoggatt earns a small grant for math manipulatives.
1993-1995
For the first time, Mr. Hoggatt teaches the same grade (second) in the same room for two years in a row.
1995
Mr. Hoggatt is the lead teacher in the school when a terrorist explodes a massive truck bomb outside the federal building in downtown Oklahoma City (4 1/2 miles away). With the principal at a meeting, Hoggatt locks down the building.
1995
Mr. Hoggatt joins his wife who has recently acquired an engineering job in Joplin, Missouri. On his second day in town, he is offered and he accepts a job teaching fourth graders at Cecil Floyd Elementary. The last half of his job interview is conducted in the storm shelter area of the school building as the area is placed under a tornado warning.
1996
Mr. Hoggatt enters a classroom video in a local media competition and wins a monthly prize. Later the video, depicting a classroom cave, is selected as the grand prize winner for the year, earning the classroom $1000.
1999
Mr. Hoggatt acquires his Master's Degree in Elementary Teaching from Pittsburg State University (Kansas).
2002
Mr. Hoggatt's Earthquake! unit is selected as Pi Kappa Delta's Excellent Education Program of the year.
Mr. Hoggatt is the lead teacher in the school when a terrorist explodes a massive truck bomb outside the federal building in downtown Oklahoma City (4 1/2 miles away). With the principal at a meeting, Hoggatt locks down the building.
1995
Mr. Hoggatt joins his wife who has recently acquired an engineering job in Joplin, Missouri. On his second day in town, he is offered and he accepts a job teaching fourth graders at Cecil Floyd Elementary. The last half of his job interview is conducted in the storm shelter area of the school building as the area is placed under a tornado warning.
1996
Mr. Hoggatt enters a classroom video in a local media competition and wins a monthly prize. Later the video, depicting a classroom cave, is selected as the grand prize winner for the year, earning the classroom $1000.
1999
Mr. Hoggatt acquires his Master's Degree in Elementary Teaching from Pittsburg State University (Kansas).
2002
Mr. Hoggatt's Earthquake! unit is selected as Pi Kappa Delta's Excellent Education Program of the year.
2004
Mr. Hoggatt receives the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce Golden Apple Award, nominated by students and their parents for the third time.
2005
Mr. Hoggatt is chosen to represent Joplin Schools as the district's Teacher of the Year. He also represents the district as a nominee for the state Teacher of the Year.
2005
Mr. Hoggatt is a nominee for Disney's American Teacher Awards.
2009
Mr. Hoggatt's class website and blog wins the Missouri State Teachers Association award for having the Outstanding Class Website of the year.
Mr. Hoggatt receives the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce Golden Apple Award, nominated by students and their parents for the third time.
2005
Mr. Hoggatt is chosen to represent Joplin Schools as the district's Teacher of the Year. He also represents the district as a nominee for the state Teacher of the Year.
2005
Mr. Hoggatt is a nominee for Disney's American Teacher Awards.
2009
Mr. Hoggatt's class website and blog wins the Missouri State Teachers Association award for having the Outstanding Class Website of the year.
2011
Mr. Hoggatt teaches tornado safety to a fourth graders in Joplin, Missouri, two days prior to the town (including Hoggatt's school) being struck by a destructive EF5 tornado.
2011
Mr. Hoggatt assists in coordinating disaster relief efforts with the church of Christ at 26th and Connecticut. When Summer School begins, he teaches fifth graders for the month of July.
2012
Mr. Hoggatt travels to Atlanta, Georgia, to meet and observe teachers and students at the Ron Clark Academy.
2015
Mr. Hoggatt completes five years as the president of the Joplin Teachers Association (local MSTA).
2016
One of Mr. Hoggatt's homemade lyric videos wins third place at the annual PBIS film festival.
2017
Mr. Hoggatt's class is featured in a two-part news report about soft skills. The report is the recipient of the Missouri State Teachers Association media award for the year.
Mr. Hoggatt teaches tornado safety to a fourth graders in Joplin, Missouri, two days prior to the town (including Hoggatt's school) being struck by a destructive EF5 tornado.
2011
Mr. Hoggatt assists in coordinating disaster relief efforts with the church of Christ at 26th and Connecticut. When Summer School begins, he teaches fifth graders for the month of July.
2012
Mr. Hoggatt travels to Atlanta, Georgia, to meet and observe teachers and students at the Ron Clark Academy.
2015
Mr. Hoggatt completes five years as the president of the Joplin Teachers Association (local MSTA).
2016
One of Mr. Hoggatt's homemade lyric videos wins third place at the annual PBIS film festival.
2017
Mr. Hoggatt's class is featured in a two-part news report about soft skills. The report is the recipient of the Missouri State Teachers Association media award for the year.
2017
Mr. Hoggatt is one of the 100 Alumni You Should Know for USAO.
2018
Mr. Hoggatt will complete 28 years in education, with the last 23 in the same fourth grade classroom at Cecil Floyd Elementary in Joplin, Missouri.
Mr. Hoggatt is one of the 100 Alumni You Should Know for USAO.
2018
Mr. Hoggatt will complete 28 years in education, with the last 23 in the same fourth grade classroom at Cecil Floyd Elementary in Joplin, Missouri.
