How I Became the Teacher I Never Planned to Be

Back to School and Back to Reflecting

It’s that time of year when I head back to work. As I swap my iced coffee for laminated seating charts, I can’t help but reflect on how I got here. You may or may not know this, but I am a middle school teacher. I also get to teach them some of the most fun things from digital design and photography to film and podcasting. This job has taken me places I never expected and taught me more than I ever imagined.

The Job I Never Expected to Love

I didn't think this is what I wanted to do with my life, even though my mom told me for a very long time that I should go into teaching (thanks mom, you were right). My parents both work in the school system and I really wasn't sure that I wanted to spend my time teaching kids. I had always enjoyed working with kids and had said that if I worked in a school, it would be in something where I wouldn't work with them the whole time like back-office work.

When I was in my senior year of high school, my very first job was in after care at an elementary school. It was quite the journey, and it was a struggle a lot of times, but I'm so glad I started there! I went to college right after high school, and for a long time, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I ultimately decided on getting my degree in Business since I knew if I wanted to do teaching down the line, I could get my license through an alternate route. I wanted something stable to fall back on, just in case teaching didn’t end up being the right path.

Discipline, Detours, and a Big Decision

While I was in college, I moved to an hourly position in the same school and shortly after when I got my Associates, I moved to the middle school level… in a discipline role. I don't regret it since that discipline job got me where I am today, but discipline was not for me. I wanted to build students up, not catch them at their worst moments.

I did that for about 3 years before a teaching opportunity at the same school popped up. Even though discipline wasn’t my dream job, it put me on the path to something that was. I was going back and forth on this decision for a very long time but everyone at the school and my family was pushing me to go for it.

Finding Joy in Research Class

I was provided an opportunity to coteach with another teacher whom I didn't know very well at the time (she is now one of my best friends!) and I'm glad I took that opportunity. I debated it for a long time, but just about everyone in my life was nudging me toward “yes” ...

The class I got to teach is called Research where we teach the kids a variety of different skills from 3D design, entrepreneurial skills, coding, game design, and so much more. My favorite project we do is a quarter-long "Maker Mart" project where the students come up with a product idea, make it and all the marketing materials, and "sell" it in a market-style simulation. Stepping into this world has made me the happiest I’ve ever been at work.

A Creative Classroom of My Own

With discipline, I didn't like having to be the bad guy and I just wanted to provide these students with new skills both for the job world and just emotionally. I was given the opportunity last school year to add another program under my belt. It quickly became the passion project I didn’t know I needed. I get to teach my students photography, film, podcasting, digital design and so much more! My favorite project in this class had to have been the stop motion project. My students were so excited to work on this one and there were so many amazing final videos that came out of it! Not only do I get to teach fun, creative topics, but I get to share my own passions with my students.

New Year, New Chapters

This program is going to continue to expand as this year I am adding the second year of the course and now I am taking on another new challenge, yearbook. In high school, I worked on the yearbook for three years and have always loved it. There’s something magical about seeing students bring a printed yearbook to life, like their memories bound in creativity.

Ready for What’s Next as a Teacher

I think that's enough reflection for now, I think that’s enough reflection for now, I was just feeling a bit nostalgic since we go back to school on Monday. Time to fully switch back into teacher brain and get ready to teach these students again. Here’s to a new school year full of creativity, growth, and just the right amount of chaos.

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Your Side Quest:

What’s something you never planned to do, but ended up loving?