High school is often seen as the place where students prepare for their next steps in life, but it also plays a crucial role in shaping the teachers who guide those students. For many teachers, a high school environment can act as a classroom and a training ground, offering new experiences that help strengthen them as educators. High school is where many future teachers first discover what inspires them. A favorite subject, a meaningful project, or even a challenge that they had to work hard to overcome can leave an impression. Teachers who return to the classroom are often influenced by these early connections, and they pass on the lessons they once experienced when they were students.
This week, I interviewed two of Hughson High’s beloved teachers for their thoughts on how their high school experience prepared them for their future. According to Mr. Bland, who has worked at Hughson High School since 2009, high school prepared him for his future by helping him to become more empathetic with students. “So, when I was in high school… I didn’t have a good time. I was one of those students where teachers were like, ‘If you would just apply yourself, you would be somebody’, implying I was nobody, right? So, I would say the skills I learned are to be empathetic with the students in this institution and understand a lot of them are going through hard times like I did.” Because he lived it, Bland can feel a stronger sense of patience when guiding teenagers through their own obstacles.
For some teachers, an educator that they had during their high school experience is the inspiration that pushed them to begin their own teaching career. For Mrs. Jones, a physical education teacher, she’s been blessed enough to have more than one, but one stood out in particular. “Her name was Annie Warner, a lot of people know her as Ms. Rainey. She was the PE teacher when I got hired and I got to work with her. Probably one of the most important things she taught me was to listen. I said, ‘Annie, how do you do it?’ She goes, ‘Just remember Carolyn, you might be the only one that’s listening.’ So, I think that was probably some of the greatest advice.”
Certain subjects in high school often play a big role in preparing future teachers for their careers. When asked if there were any subjects he wished he’d focused on more, Mr. Bland answered, “100%, I honestly wish I would have taken photography. I never took photography in high school, you know, and I wish I would have gotten a lot more into art.” When asked a question along the same line, Mrs. Jones answered, “I might be a little more involved with clubs. I played sports, so that keeps you really busy, and you guys have a lot more clubs available than we did.” Altogether, these subjects and extracurriculars can not only shape a student’s knowledge but also help to prepare future teachers.
Overall, high school doesn’t just prepare students for the future, it prepares teachers, too. Early years often plant the ideas that will eventually bring educators back to where it began for them.
