Teacher Appreciation Week: How Do High School Teachers Feel About Their Jobs?

Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week, and to celebrate our school caretakers, I asked some of Brewster High School’s most distinguished faculty members about what makes their job so gratifying. They do have a lot to say, but their heartfelt responses are worth the read!

I asked Edward Schmidt (chemistry), Antonio Franze (Italian), AnnMarie McLeod (sociology/global), Donna Lieval (Spanish), and Nicole O’Sullivan (social studies/leadership) the following questions: What is your favorite part about teaching? Are there any specific memories that stand out to you from your teaching career? When did you realize that this job was worth the while?

These teachers are just a few among a whole school full of amazing people. They work tirelessly to give their kids an education and breadth of knowledge that will last a lifetime. There’s no doubt these teachers deserve the utmost respect from everyone and should be thanked for their years of hard work and dedication to their jobs. Enjoy!

Edward Schmidt:

Favorite part of teaching is the realization that you helped shape the direction and future of your student(s).  Sometimes it is as simple as asking the right questions or sharing a story; you never know what piques the interest in something.  Much like cryptography, you need to find a primer that unlocks the latent interests and desires.

So many memories... Many good and some... well not so good...  My favorite memories have been the times when I connect with a student many years later and they say "Remember when..." or "I did that thing you suggested and look how great it turned out, thanks..."  There is nothing more invigorating than seeing the long range impact you have made on a person.  Good stuff...  worth the while…

Antonio Franze:

1) Being a language and culture teacher my favorite moments are when some of the most difficult content finally clicks. That light bulb moment is really exciting not only for the students but also for me. I am filled with such pride. Another example is when students come back to class with a story of how they had to assist others in the community using their language skills.
Having traveled to Italy recently with students, witnessing my students use the language and realize that they could get by without using a google translator was so rewarding.

2) In my first years of teaching I was not convinced that teaching was the career for me. You learn by trial and error and at times there were more errors than break-throughs. When I came to Brewster and went to my first Graduation Ceremony that was the moment when I knew that all I was doing helped mold the students to be the person that they were on that day. I look forward to the Graduation Ceremony each year. It is better than any football victory, prom or trip abroad in my opinion.

McLeod:

1.  By far, my favorite part of teaching is the students because, each year, without fail, they teach me so much, invite me to see the world and life in new ways and challenge me to think about how teaching and learning go together.  Everyday, I think about the facts that students are the reason we are here, that students are the future of our country and our world and that it is a privilege to be part of their journey in some small way.

2.  :) Too many memories to count!  But I think hearing a student say, "I did not think of it that way before..." or watching students achieve something that once seemed out of reach are the kinds of things that make teaching worthwhile.

 

Donna Lieval

I love to teach.  Absolutely love it.  I should hope so, as I’m in my 28th year of teaching (all at Brewster High School, I am proud to report) and I am still as happy and excited to get up and go to work as I was over twenty years ago.  My philosophy on education is more about a bigger picture than the discipline I teach.  I am aware that today’s teens are tomorrow’s future.  I love being involved in helping them to be the best version of themselves, to grow confident in their learning and to learn from their mistakes.  I don’t recommend that anyone go into teaching for the “time off”.  That is not what this is about.  My job is about making a difference, and hoping to get through to each and every one of the students I teach.  Whether they learn a little Spanish, or a lot of Spanish, what’s more important to me is that they’ve learned to be a better person, a kinder person, a more compassionate person, so that when they move on to bigger and better things, they are more ready than ever.  To see this unfold right before my eyes, each and every day, is truly rewarding.  Every student accomplishment, no matter how big or small, is a success in my eyes.  I am inspired by the risks students take, and am proud of their resilience to keep pushing on until they “get it”.   This is what continues to make my job so fulfilling.  

I do have many memories, and often I wish I had a book in which I wrote them down!  One of my favorite memories is when, during some down time in class, one of my students (the wonderful Dan Moran!) surprised me by playing one of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite bands (“Surrender” to Cheap Trick) on the ukulele!  I started to sing, and before you knew it, we had performed the entire song together in class.  It was so special to me because it solidified my beliefs on the importance of forming positive relationships with my students.  That even though we took a few minutes “away” from class time, this experience was more than worth it.  Students need to see and acknowledge that we are real people, that we like to do some of the same things they do, and to have this moment unfold, where Dan took the time to play one of my favorite songs (again, on the ukulele, no less...which I’m guessing is no easy feat)....a highlight of my career, for sure.  (Thanks, Dan!)

Nicole O’Sullivan

1.  My favorite part about teaching, is, without question, the daily interaction with the students.  Yes, I love history/social studies, and it is my hope that my students walk away enjoying social studies more than they did when they walked into my classroom at the beginning of the school year.  Content is important, but it's the job of a teacher to create students who can think for themselves, speak for themselves, and not only think about making the community they're a part of a better place, but act upon it.  I will never truly know how many students I have influenced, but not many people can say they have the opportunity to work with and be a part of over 100 new students' stories each year.  That is pretty cool.   

2.  As I mentioned, the content is important, but equally important is being a person the students can turn to in challenging times and a person they are excited to share their achievements with.  Watching a student master a skill, become engaged in the topic you're teaching, or put forth their best effort and experience the effects of their hard work are just some of the many things I love about teaching.  There are many specific memories from my career that I could share with you, but some of the ones that stand out most in my mind come from the Leadership class.  I have had students afraid to speak in front of the room, willing to take a failing grade for the assignment, just to avoid speaking in front of a group.  Every year, I have students with similar fears, and I have been able to work with them to overcome this fear, which has usually stemmed from lack of confidence.  Often times students do not realize their own potential, have experienced a similar, less than positive experience, or they have not been given the chance to develop certain skills, so they doubt their own abilities.  Working with the student to improve on a particular skill, letting them know you believe they can do something, and watching them come to the realization that they are capable of achieving what they set their mind to, is an amazing thing to watch and be a part of.  The following quote is one I have written down to remind myself of the importance of having high expectations for my students, "Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them." Lady Bird Johnson  

Again, I never know which students I have impacted or which lessons I teach really "stick."  But, there are students who do take the time to tell you how much your work helped them or take the time to say a simple "thank you." This is what makes all the hard work worth it.  Former Leadership students reach out every year telling me how the course was one of the most influential courses they took at BHS and how it has helped them prepare for life after high school.  This is the best feedback I could ever receive.  I have saved every thank you note, card and email from former, grateful students.  They are not only a nice reminder of my former students, but on a tough day, they are a reminder of the important job I have and the impact I can have on others.  

 

Let's take some time to thank our teachers and appreciate the impact they've had on our lives; it's clear they've found something their passionate about, and they can all attest to the saying "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."