Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher over twenty years ago, right after college. There was a glut of teachers back then and after two years of layoffs I took a job at the University of Michigan, then earned a Ph.D. and taught in the School of Education for over a decade. But classroom teaching never left my mind and heart as my calling. Three years ago a graduate I had taught reached out about her happiness at her school, which was hiring, so I leapt back in after twenty years. It fulfills me like nothing else.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One memorable experience is when I worked with a student who had a reputation for getting in trouble and struggling academically. I did not take on those descriptions of him and saw him with fresh eyes. He matured in his behavior and empathy, and grew two grade levels in one year. Then during one of those weeks of “burnout” when I felt tempted to turn away from teaching, his mom emailed me about the impact I’d made on his life, and it rejuvenated me. I’ll always keep going for these kids.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000 I would “catch up” on things that became harder with the pay cut I took from transitioning from a higher-paying job back into teaching. I would “pay myself back” for the $5,000 I have spent on my classroom these years. I would put $15,000 in my second child’s college fund, which is lower than my first child’s because I couldn’t contribute as much in recent years. Finally, I would offer a $5,000 scholarship to a worthy applicant to the University of Michigan’s School of Education.