by Alexis Justice
Teaching is important. It’s giving people the power to teach the newer generation to be better than the older generation However, teachers have never gotten the credit that they deserve. And so, I have gone around the school asking several teachers their opinions about their jobs and if they have ever regret being a teacher.
The Oracle: What made you decide to be a teacher?
Mr. Bengston (Social Studies): Well, I got a degree in history, and with history there are certain applications in that I was also a coach, and I have that history degree, and I have a background in coaching. And so thought that high school was the place to be.
Mr. Owmby (Spanish): My father was one, so I have heavy influences, and I like sharing information with people and try to make their lives better. I just try to do that with anything in my life. Teaching is one of those things.
Ms. DeGive (ESOL): I really like helping people learn in high school and helping them study for tests. And I just figured that I would be good at that.
The Oracle: What subjects do you teach and what have you taught before?
Mr. Bengston: As of right now, I currently teach U.S History and AP U.S History. And throughout my career I have also taught World History, Economics, and Compromise Law. I was also a Psychology teacher.
Mr. Owmby: I teach Spanish 1, 2 and 3. I have also taught music and have taught English as a Second Language in a school where that was the only thing that they taught. And I took a fling at general Science. I wasn’t bad at that!
Ms. DeGive: I teach ESOL which is English Language Learners. I teach communication skills, which is how to speak English, and I also teach ESOL Algebra 1, Geometry, and Advanced Mathematic Decision Making. And I used to teach sixth grade On level and Advanced Math.
The Oracle: Does teaching in itself outweigh the negative of not getting paid as much as you should?
Mr. Bengston: Yes.
Mr. Owmby: NO! However, that’s not whoever I’m teaching’s fault. So, I’m not going let it devolve on to them. But does it outweigh it? No. I think that teaching or services like teaching are directly being underpaid. If you are a teacher in Japan…they think that they are important, so they treat them like they are important.
Ms. DeGive: Most of the time, yes. Sometimes not, but most of those times, yes.
The Oracle: Can you list three pros and cons of teaching?
Mr. Bengston: Pros – Summer off. I get to meet interesting young adults, and I get to try to influence people in a positive way, I would argue the pay. [After doing it a long time], I feel get paid a lot. I don’t live extravagantly, but I don’t go without. There are people that work very hard in jobs who go without despite their hard work and teachers are not in that position. Cons: This interview is not long enough. I’m sorry it’s not. lt would be too long. But in sum: Discipline, apathy, and social media.
Mr. Owmby: Cons – Teaching happens best in the morning. It’s hard to teach under the time constraints that we have. And not that many materials. Pros- I like the people, students and the staff. It’s kind of amazing to see people get better. Also, it’s amazing people manage to do this while despite the fact the way the education is structured keeps it from being a service, and makes it a business, which it should have never been.
Ms. DeGive: Pros- I get to work with some really amazing students. You do get the summers off with some training. I really feel that teaching is really more relaxing then some like corporate office. Cons — There are a lot of students that trend to be disrespectful these days; not my student, but yeah. There is just so much work that it just gets — it gets to be more and more — and they just keep assigning different things. Sometimes it feels that you can’t help every student, and it’s hard to accept that when they mean so much to you.
The Oracle: Has being a teacher affected your personal life?
Mr. Bengston: Yes.
Mr. Owmby: Well, to a certain extent, the summers are kind cool. Other than that, I don’t know. Well, when the school year starts, the days get long, and the time is a tad tight.
Ms. DeGive: Yeah, I think if I have a really bad day at work, I try not to bring it with me at home, which I know I do sometimes when I’m sad. But then, also if I have a really good day, I would be able to bring that home with me as well. I think that it definitely affects how I am on my day-to-day.
The Oracle: I only interviewed a sample of the teacher here, but let me tell you I was super surprised with what I find how the teachers here have such amazing lives and stories to tell us. If only we set down with them and talked to them, and be grateful with them taking time each day to teach us so that we can be well prepared for the future. My name is Alexis Justice and this was my teacher spotlight.
