2 answers
Madison
Student
Galesburg, Illinois
1
Question
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Has being a teacher ever forced you to go against your own personal values or beliefs #Fall25?
I am currently in college to become a highschool chemistry teacher and worry that certain political events will still impact me even in a STEM field that lacks "subjectivity" so to speak, as a queer female teacher.
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2 answers
Nicole Muhammad
Group Facilitator, Educator, Speaker, Job Coach, and Teen Mentor.
10
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
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Nicole’s Answer
Greetings Madison:
Thank you for this excellent question!! At the end of the day, everything is based on integrity. Is making money more important than who I am? Absolutely not, I have been fortunate that if I felt a job compromised my integrity, I had no problem quitting. I'm not recommending anyone else to do that. I am a faithful person, and I was always blessed to find a new job right away. I always believed that if you stand on your principles, maintain a positive attitude the Universe will reward you. Because at the end of the day, ypu have to look at yourself in the mirror. Thank you again for this excellent and relevant question!!
Thank you for this excellent question!! At the end of the day, everything is based on integrity. Is making money more important than who I am? Absolutely not, I have been fortunate that if I felt a job compromised my integrity, I had no problem quitting. I'm not recommending anyone else to do that. I am a faithful person, and I was always blessed to find a new job right away. I always believed that if you stand on your principles, maintain a positive attitude the Universe will reward you. Because at the end of the day, ypu have to look at yourself in the mirror. Thank you again for this excellent and relevant question!!
Esteban Bejarano
National Pursuit Team Writer - Tax
4
Answers
Winter Garden, Florida
Updated
Esteban’s Answer
Hi Madison!
This is a wonderfully thought-provoking question and one I asked myself frequently during my 12 years in the high school classroom teaching English. My approach to this was to present myself as an educator whose sole purpose was to elicit thought, openly, diversely, and without bias, to the very best of my ability.
What I mean by that is that I prided myself in having my students struggle with easily identifying my own political affiliations as it allowed them to more comfortably share their own. I can't tell you how many times my students would try to embed commentary about what another teacher's view on a topic were, since they were so openly shared. In my humble opinion, that type of commentary is a misuse of the platform afforded to teachers. This doesn't mean that political topics can't be broached as the subject matter at times will organically lead to very fruitful conversations in that vein, however, pushing our own perspective as the "only" or "correct" one is often times a sure-fire way to not only silence your student's openness but also likely to lead to a not so comfortable sit down with an administrator.
Retrospectively, I never felt compelled to become someone else while teaching to appease a certain political view or mandate, conversely, I felt that I grew beyond my own perspective by fostering an environment that allowed for differing perspectives and a culture of inclusivity, regardless of our differences.
Wishing you the very best in your journey as an educator, it is to this day, the most meaningful position I have ever held.
This is a wonderfully thought-provoking question and one I asked myself frequently during my 12 years in the high school classroom teaching English. My approach to this was to present myself as an educator whose sole purpose was to elicit thought, openly, diversely, and without bias, to the very best of my ability.
What I mean by that is that I prided myself in having my students struggle with easily identifying my own political affiliations as it allowed them to more comfortably share their own. I can't tell you how many times my students would try to embed commentary about what another teacher's view on a topic were, since they were so openly shared. In my humble opinion, that type of commentary is a misuse of the platform afforded to teachers. This doesn't mean that political topics can't be broached as the subject matter at times will organically lead to very fruitful conversations in that vein, however, pushing our own perspective as the "only" or "correct" one is often times a sure-fire way to not only silence your student's openness but also likely to lead to a not so comfortable sit down with an administrator.
Retrospectively, I never felt compelled to become someone else while teaching to appease a certain political view or mandate, conversely, I felt that I grew beyond my own perspective by fostering an environment that allowed for differing perspectives and a culture of inclusivity, regardless of our differences.
Wishing you the very best in your journey as an educator, it is to this day, the most meaningful position I have ever held.