"The best part of education is working with the students. I know that administration, counselors, etc work with students too, but it is not the day-to-day interaction. Teaching is about helping students learn and grow and develop into the people they are meant to be. You are helping them become productive members of society, giving them tools to move on with their education or their daily lives."

"I love helping kids and I love science. It’s exciting to me to be able to do both for a living!"

"I like creating a space where students can find and express themselves. There’s often very few places that people are encouraged to show and explore their feelings, where they work together to create something special, where they are not asked to compete but to complement. So that’s a great place to be."

"I’ve been a teacher for 37 years. I think the reason I’ve been able to do it so long is that I teach where the text is different every year. The concepts are the same, but the material is not. More than that, I get to watch students grow up right in front of me. Unlike many teachers who see a kid for one year, I often see them for four. The growth I get to see, both musically and personally, and the relationships I get to make with students are so rewarding. I learn things from the students at the same time I am teaching them and it keeps me young!"