Every school year, teachers meet hundreds of new faces in the classroom, engage with occasionally dismissive parents, face demanding administration, and place their students’ needs above their own. Teachers serve not only as educators but also as shoulders to lean on through harsh times.
With such difficulties in mind, it can be hard to deduce what inspires educators to take on such responsibilities in the first place. The M-A Chronicle spoke to campus teachers and staff to find out what led them back into the gates of high school.
Rudraigh Quattrin, Finite and Trigonometry Math
“Having a father who was a Calculus teacher definitely inspired me to cut from the same cloth as him. Growing up, I was heavily influenced by the amazing teachers I had in high school, and although my passion was initially in literature and mythology, I found math to have the best possible career openings.”
“Funnily enough, watching the TV show ‘Doctor Who’ made me realize the importance of helping others become their better self. I found that that value of mine was more easily obtainable as a teacher.”
Joanna Contreras, PAWS Counselor
“I knew growing up that I wanted to work with kids, and after hearing of the high expectations and distress students in Silicon Valley face, I was inspired to pursue a career in this area. A lot of people can’t afford mental health counseling, and with the toxicity of social media, ensuring that students can have positive mindsets offline is a goal I’m working towards.”
Catherine Burton-Tilson, Librarian
“I never knew that this was the career I would be going into, but I’ve always loved reading and pursued this interest in college with being an English major.”
“I started teaching students who needed personal attention because, as a teenager who struggled, I always wanted to have a person who could be there for me. My passion for sharing knowledge through reading naturally segued me into becoming a librarian.”
Jason Kubo, Guidance Counselor
“The internships I had in college with school counselors inspired me to become one myself. I ran into some pretty bad counselors in high school and would think to myself how I could have done a better job. It wasn’t until I was at UC Davis that I obtained work experience with the profession and decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in school counseling.”
Min Chuan Wang, Long-Term Chinese Substitute Teacher
“I’m from Taiwan, where there’s a fascinating array of other dialects with Mandarin being the official language. The linguistic diversity sparked a deep curiosity within me to explore the language further, and I ended up finding a passion for sharing the beauty of the language with others.”
“Teaching is more than just a job. It is a privilege, an opportunity to make a real difference in students’ lives. I love the challenge of translating complex grammatical concepts into engaging and accessible lessons, and I’m genuinely excited to come to work every day.”
