SophieStevens

Most children start to dream of their future profession from the time they can speak. For most, this dream doesn’t turn into their lifelong passion after the twists and turns life throws at them. Every Marian teacher pursued their career in a different way, some never expecting to end up in the classroom. Some teachers grew up knowing they wanted to be a teacher, and others changed their mind throughout college.

“I always played school when I was little,” Spanish teacher Mrs. Amanda Pritchard said.  “I had a whiteboard, desks, worksheets, gradebooks – the whole kit and kaboodle in my basement growing up.” She went into college wanting to be an OB/GYN, but changed her mind after one quarter. Pritchard said she must have been on a “Grey’s Anatomy” kick.

“I actually didn’t realize teaching was going to be my path until much later on,” math teacher Miss Megan Han ‘13 said. “When I was younger, I always thought I’d probably go into medicine or engineering.”

“I tried to diminish the possibility of being a high school teacher for several years,” theology teacher Mr. Kory Delkamiller said, “but ultimately it kept coming back to the forefront of my mind.  The dream wouldn’t let go of me! 28 years later, I am thankful that the desire to teach never left me.” He said that the gifts and joys he has received from teaching are something he will forever be grateful for. 

Many people want to leave a positive impact on others, and teachers feel they can do that every day while teaching. “I think my main motivation for teaching comes from the excitement I see when students figure out a difficult concept, or they come to tell me that they got a better score on their ACT, or let me know that they got into the college they wanted to,” Han said. 

Seeing students learn and develop every day keeps teachers on the edge of their seats and is one of the main reasons they love what they do.

“I like that my days are never monotonous or boring,” English, speech and debate teacher Ms. Halli Tripe said.  “You never know what will happen! Another great thing about teaching is that it’s pretty much the only profession where you get to start fresh each year.” Tripe said she feels if she has a clean slate every year, she can continue to become a better teacher.

“I really enjoy teaching, even if this has been an odd year so far,” social studies teacher Mr. Chris Dziadus said. “It has always been fun, and most days I am excited to get class started.” Dziadus grew up wanting to go into the broadcasting industry, but found his way into teaching. 

“I have always been interested in being a teacher,” sophomore Maggie Morris said,  “because I love working with kids. I also really enjoy school in general.” Her mom plays a big role in her wanting to become a teacher. “I am inspired by her teaching and the enthusiasm she has for her job,”  Morris said. Her mother teaches online English classes at Metro Community College. 

Having youth who are inspired by teachers makes for amazing and enthusiastic teachers in the future. “I think there are many students at Marian that would make great classroom teachers!  I see so many students who are empathetic, patient, good listeners, caring, organized, creative, smart and enthusiastic,” Delkamiller said.