Ms. Miller, an 8th-grade history teacher at McAullife, shares her insights of being an educator for 23 years. Ms Miller discusses the challenges of her career and reflects on her journey before becoming a teacher. 

Q: What inspired you to become a teacher?

A: My children; watching them grow throughout their school years and I love being on a campus.

Q: How long have you been teaching and how many subjects have you taught?

A: This is my 23rd year. I have been a CORE teacher and taught one 7th and one 6th grade class—mostly all 8th grade history and some 7th grade history.  

Q: If you weren’t a teacher, what job would you have?

A: I would have liked to do something more physical, like a physical therapist. Something more hands-on than teaching. 

Q: What’s surprising about being a teacher that most people don’t know?

A: It’s hard for people to comprehend that you are teaching 192 students every single day, nobody can prepare you for that. You don’t get a lot of training to do this- I still feel like I’m learning all the time. 

Q: How has teaching changed you since you first started?

A: The students have changed and the technology has changed. The job that I started with is nothing like the job I have today.

Q: What is your favorite lesson to teach?

A: I love history, and I always get sad when students walk in with the attitude of “I hate history.” To me, history is nothing but the story of people’s lives. I love the stories of people who have made an impact on our lives, I love to teach that. 

Q: What are the challenges you face as a teacher and how do you handle them?

A: The hardest part for me is the students who have no interest in school. I struggle with trying to make them want to learn. 

Q: Do you have a favorite memory when you were a student?

A: I loved my activities, I wasn’t a big academic person but I loved being on ASB and being on cheer. I was very social, that was what I loved about school- probably what kept me going in school. 

Q: What’s one piece of advice that you would give students who are doing well in school?

A: I believe that you need to find a connection to the school. If you find a connection, then you can have a love for school, it’s part of the recipe for being here. I feel that you get a better education when you are helping other people and involved with others. 

Ms. Miller shares that there are things that nobody prepares you for before starting your teaching education and the challenges that come with it. She shares how to find connections at school and reveals some of her favorite things about school when she was young. Ultimately, Ms. Miller loves teaching history and admits that she still learns every day.