A big chunk of a person’s life is spent inside of a classroom, learning and preparing for their future outside of it. None of this, however, would be possible without teachers, whose jobs are often overlooked. Students may complain about how much work their teachers
assign, or how strict they are without realizing how much teachers actually care about their personal and professional growth.
It is not uncommon for teachers to have only become teachers later in their lives. They begin by pursuing a career that in the future may not be the best fit for them. However, it is never too late to go after what they really are passionate about.
“I thought I wanted to open an Allstar Cheer Gym and run a gym, but as I started taking more sign language classes in college, I realized my passion was that I wanted to teach other people to sign,” world languages teacher Kiara Campbell said. “I started teaching some friends and tutoring some people that needed help in class. Then, I was like ‘You know what? I kinda wanna keep teaching people ASL.’”
For other teachers, teaching was not always out of the question. In fact, it might have been in the back of their minds, but they slowly came to realize their true passion. For some, that realization occurred in college, while for others, it came halfway through their careers.
“I knew within the first week of my job [that] I needed to pick something different,” technology and mathematics teacher Samantha Arenberg said. “Something where I can make more of an impact on people; something where I wasn’t gonna be behind a desk for nine hours a day.”
Another reason why teachers might decide teaching is the best fit for them is because of those around them. Many teachers come from a teaching lineage, which could inspire them to continue that legacy.
“My parents and my grandparents were all teachers, so I knew it was the right path,” social studies teacher Megan Kelley said.
Similarly to any other job, teaching has its cons, but the pros often outweigh them. Even if education wasn’t a teacher’s first choice, most consider seeing their students grasp the material thanks to them has made their decision worthwhile.
“My favorite thing about being a teacher is seeing the light bulb go off,” science teacher Mark Lorenzi said. “I mean, I can see in a kid’s face they understand now.”
One of the parts of teaching that most teachers seem to love is helping a student understand the material and seeing them succeed. Teachers have the power to make an impact on every student and take every opportunity to do so.
“[My favorite thing about being a teacher is] seeing students learn ASL and then watching them apply it somewhere in life,” Campbell said. “I’ll get messages where students will tell me they’ve used it at a job, or, you know, they’re continuing to take ASL in college. It’s awesome.”
Teachers can often be taken for granted, but they can truly make a difference. While some students may not realize it, teachers play an important role and ultimately, even if it is the smallest contribution, they are a factor in students’ success while in school and beyond.
