Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Dixon.
Monique, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Ohio before moving to San Diego as a teenager, where I completed high school and later attended college. I was raised by a single mother who had me when she was still a teenager herself. She dropped out of school but later earned her GED in her twenties. Looking back, I realize her determination and resilience influenced me more than I understood at the time.
As a child, I loved books. I remember when our family received the World Book Encyclopedias, and I would spend hours reading about different countries, historical events, and people from around the world. Those books opened my eyes to possibilities beyond my own community and sparked a lifelong love of learning. Even today, I share many of those stories with my students because I want them to understand that reading can expand their world and change the way they see themselves and their future.
I have always wanted to be a teacher. However, like many people, my path was not a straight line. I got married, left college before finishing my degree, and went to work for the government. Eventually, I decided to return to school. While working full-time in a training department, I attended college full-time and earned my Bachelor’s degree in English. Completing my degree taught me the same lesson I try to teach my students every day: it is never too late to finish what you started.
After graduation, I moved to Houston and hoped to begin a career in education. When I could not find a teaching position right away, I accepted a job at Lone Star College as a TABE test proctor. What seemed like a temporary opportunity ended up changing my life. About a month later, a class needed a co-teacher, and I was asked to step in. That experience launched my career in adult education.
My passion for education is deeply personal. As an African American woman, I understand that the ability to learn, read, and pursue an education is something countless people fought and sacrificed for. Many gave their time, energy, opportunities, and in some cases their lives so future generations could have access to education. I never take that for granted. I believe honoring those sacrifices means using my education to help others gain access to opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives.
Today, my greatest joy comes from helping students earn their GED, discover their potential, and realize that their past does not determine their future. Whether it is through education, peer mentoring, or community initiatives like clothing drives for individuals reentering society, my goal is to help people move forward with confidence, dignity, and hope.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road. Like many of the students I work with today, my own educational journey included setbacks, loss, and moments when finishing my goals felt impossible.
When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming a teacher, but life took an unexpected turn. After getting married, I left college before completing my degree. Not long afterward, I experienced the heartbreaking loss of a child and eventually went through a divorce. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, and for a period of time, my educational goals had to take a back seat while I focused on healing and rebuilding my life.
Eventually, I made the decision to return to school. It was not easy. I was working full-time in a government training department while attending college full-time to earn my Bachelor’s degree in English. During one semester, I did not have a car, so I relied entirely on public transportation. My days would start around 6:00 in the morning, and I often would not get home until 10:00 at night. Thankfully, the bus ride was about an hour each way, which gave me time to study, complete assignments, or even catch a short nap before class.
Looking back, those long days taught me perseverance and discipline. They also helped me develop empathy for the students I serve today. Many of them are balancing education with obstacles that others never see, whether it is financial hardship, transportation issues, family responsibilities, incarceration, or simply trying to overcome years of self-doubt. Because I have experienced my own setbacks, I understand that success isn’t always about ability. Often, it’s about determination and refusing to give up when circumstances make the journey difficult.
Professionally, another challenge has been helping students believe in themselves. Some of the brightest and most talented people I’ve met are individuals who convinced themselves they could never succeed because of mistakes they made or opportunities they didn’t have. Watching someone move from self-doubt to self-confidence is one of the most rewarding parts of my work, but it can also be one of the most difficult challenges.
The struggles I’ve faced have ultimately shaped the educator I am today. They taught me that setbacks don’t define a person’s future. In many ways, that’s the same message I try to share with my students every day: your path may not be straight, but it’s never too late to keep moving forward.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Today, I am an Adult Education Instructor specializing in GED preparation and educational support for adults who have encountered obstacles in their educational journey. Much of my work has focused on helping individuals earn their GED, develop confidence in their abilities, and prepare for the next stage of their lives.
What I am most proud of is not simply helping students pass an exam. I am proud of helping them see possibilities they may not have seen in themselves. Whether it’s a student earning a GED after years of believing they couldn’t do it, an English language learner gaining the confidence to communicate more effectively, or someone discovering a talent they never realized they had, those moments mean more to me than any title or award.
One initiative I am especially proud of is creating a peer tutoring program. The program gives students the opportunity to help one another while developing leadership and communication skills. One of the tutors later contacted me after his release and asked how he could become a teacher. He shared that helping another student understand a math concept brought him a level of joy and fulfillment he had never experienced before. Seeing him discover a new purpose in life was a reminder that education has the power to change lives in ways that extend far beyond academics.
I am also committed to supporting individuals beyond the classroom. I continue to organize clothing drives for indigent individuals leaving correctional facilities so they can reenter the community with dignity and confidence. Through partnerships with friends, churches, barber shops, hair salons, and community members, we collect clothing and essential items to help people begin a new chapter in their lives.
What sets me apart is that I do not see education as just teaching subjects. I see it as helping people transform the way they see themselves. My own life experiences have taught me that setbacks do not define a person’s future, and I try to bring that perspective into every classroom and every interaction.
As I look toward 2027 and beyond, I am excited about expanding my impact through three initiatives that have been on my heart for some time. The first is developing a GED and workforce readiness program specifically designed for formerly incarcerated individuals. In addition to helping participants earn educational credentials, I want to teach entrepreneurship and business fundamentals so they can create opportunities for themselves and build economic independence.
The second initiative is creating an ESL communication program for professionals. Many highly skilled professionals possess the technical expertise needed to succeed but struggle with the nuances of communication in business settings. My goal is to help English language learners develop confidence in meetings, presentations, networking, leadership communication, and workplace interactions.
The third initiative is deeply personal. As someone who has experienced pregnancy loss, I want to create a program and support community for women navigating that journey. Pregnancy loss is often discussed quietly, yet it affects so many women and families. I hope to create a space that offers support, education, healing, and encouragement for women moving through grief and rebuilding their lives.
At its core, all of my work centers on the same belief: education, support, and opportunity can change the trajectory of a person’s life. Whether I am helping someone earn a GED, gain confidence in a second language, start a business, transition back into society, or heal from loss, my goal is to help people move forward with hope and purpose.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe luck has played a role in my journey, but just as importantly, I’ve learned that you have to be willing to recognize opportunities when they present themselves.
My first teaching role came about through what many would call good luck. I initially applied for a teaching position, but there weren’t any openings available at the time. Instead, I was offered a position as a test proctor for the TABE assessment. While it wasn’t the role I originally wanted, I accepted it because I knew it would allow me to work in the field of education.
About a month into the semester, a class needed a co-teacher, and I was available to step in. That opportunity changed the direction of my career. Looking back, if I had been unwilling to accept the proctor position because it wasn’t my ideal job, I might never have found my path in adult education.
That experience taught me the importance of saying yes to opportunities, even when they don’t look exactly like what you envisioned. While working in adult education, I was selected for the CELTA program and earned my CELTA certification, which allowed me to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in addition to GED preparation. Later, I was selected to teach a hybrid ESL/GED class, combining both areas of instruction and expanding my ability to serve students with diverse needs.
What some people call luck, I see as a combination of opportunity, preparation, and being willing to step outside my comfort zone. Each opportunity opened a door to another one, and those experiences helped shape the educator I am today. I’m grateful for the unexpected turns along the way because they ultimately led me to the work that I love and the students I have the privilege to serve.
It has taught me to always have oil in my lamps.
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