I always knew I would be a teacher. As a child, I kept a chalkboard in my bedroom so I could teach my stuffed animals to read. There was never a question about what I would do when I grew up.
Many educators shaped not only my decision to teach, but also the kind of teacher I aspired to be. In high school, my English teachers, Keith Donnelly and Carol Midura, cemented my dream of becoming a high school English teacher. They gave me a safe space through literature during some of the hardest times in my life. I want to give my students that same love of literature and a place where they can be their truest selves.
My Algebra I and II teacher, Carol Faltynski-Privette, didn’t inspire me to teach math, but she taught me the value of showing up and giving my best effort. She showed me that learning isn’t just about getting the right answer—it’s about thinking deeply and processing. She made me want to do better and be better. That’s the kind of impact I strive to have on my students.
Like teenage me, my students need someone who truly sees them—someone who understands the struggle of growing from child to young adult, and who will love them through bad decisions and awkward moments. My art teacher, Mike Spangler, gave me that in my senior year. In his class, mistakes were welcome as long as you owned them, and he met us with patience and care as we learned and grew. In a world where parents work long hours just to provide, I can be here. I can hold space for the kid who needs it.
Quote byMeredith Wooten , Teacher
In the most difficult moments, I open my code-blue folder—a collection of notes, cards, doodles, and pictures they’ve given me. Each reminder tells me why I keep showing up. Some of my students have gone on to great success; others are still finding their place. But all of them know: once my student, always my student.
And just as my students need space and support, teachers do too. We need a union, because we can’t do this work alone—especially when those making decisions aren’t in the classroom witnessing our reality. We must stand together, speak up when we’re pushed aside, and protect the future we’re building. After 25 years of teaching, one truth remains: without my students, my teachers, and my colleagues, I could never have done this work.
