Dane Mayer: What Brings me to Teaching

The first aspect of my journey to teaching lies with my rising education on Catholic schools. I attended Catholic schools between the ages of five and eighteen and although I received an exemplary education from these schools, my experience as young, closeted gay student in this atmosphere inspired me more to become a teacher. I felt unrepresented in a school where everyone else found representation and further felt disconnected from my education due to the often off-hand remarks made by both students and faculty about individuals like myself. This also included further, albeit not incredibly intense, bullying that persisted throughout the early years of my educational career. These experiences pushed me to become a teacher as I felt inspired not only to create a classroom environment where everyone felt welcomed and accepted but also where representation matters. This specifically holds importance in why I chose to teach history as the representation of minority groups in the context of important historical moments speaks volumes to the idea of pride in oneself.

           Despite the negatives experienced in this environment, certain teachers did make the education

worthwhile, which further inspired me to teach. My junior year of high school social justice teacher, whose name and face I have chosen not to share, contributed greatly to my love for education and the furthering of that love into my own life. This teacher cultivated an environment in which I not only wanted to learn and grow but felt comfortable embracing myself in that educational journey. This important positive experience with a teacher showcased to me that education can be a powerful tool to learn both the subject material and about yourself. Without her influence, my educational experience would have stopped at the subject material. From her classroom, I launched my own love for helping others through their journeys.
          My final inspiration to teach lies with a quote from Hillary Clinton which reads “never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it”. This quote came at an important
cross-road in my life where I felt both inspired to advocate for others as well as to go into teaching. Many, both in and out of the teaching profession, warned me of the coming difficulties educators face. I knew of these difficulties however still wanted to continue and teach students.

This quote affected me greatly and inspired me to keep moving as it spoke to my fears of continuing teaching but addressed the need to keep fighting. Fighting for what I believe in and helping my students is important and this quote spoke to me to say that continuing to do so will make it worth it in the long run.