Herald Head of the Class 2021: Leslie Pieters, Roosevelt High School

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Why did you become a teacher?

I was called by the teaching profession, having come from a family of teachers.  My late father was a teacher and I feel that I am continuing in his footsteps.

Tell us about a teacher that inspired you as a student.

All of my teachers have inspired me in some way. I can name 99 percent of teachers, the subject and the grade they taught me, from prekindergarten to my last college professor and reflect on them with favor. The teachers that inspired me even include the teachers who straddled their classrooms and the hallway, by their doors, between classes, who I came to know, through conversations that lasted mere seconds as I continued to class. 

What did you experience or learn about teaching—yourself, your students, the process, etc.—during the pandemic that you think you will carry forward?

During the pandemic, I learned that to teach is to also learn. I learned that I can master digital technology once I practice using the tools consistently. I learned that as much as students enjoy learning from home, they miss the interactivity that school offers. Finally, I learned that the teaching and learning process is best left to gradual adaptation of policies and procedures when applicable.

What's the most memorable thing a student has said to you?

The most memorable thing a student has said to me is, "I hope to be as impactful as you one day!" What this student may or may not know is how they have impacted me. 

What has been your toughest challenge as a teacher so far?

So far, my toughest challenge as a teacher has been reaching to teach students online while simultaneously teaching students in-person.  

What has been your proudest moment as a teacher so far? 

My proudest moment as a teacher, so far, has been to see my students navigate their life-course from childhood to adulthood. I love when I see them years later when they say they finally "get it"!  I love when they tell others younger than they to take heed sooner than later to the life-lessons they are being taught.  

What surprised you the most when you first started teaching?

When I first started teaching, I was most surprised at how distracted students seemed as they engaged with their peers but really how much they actually see and hear the teacher.  They see, hear and feel more than meets the eye. 

How do you keep students engaged and interested?

To keep students engaged and I relate my subject matter to their lives today, to tomorrow when they become adults and even take it back to when they were younger to help realize how far they've come. This practice helps them to appreciate their current reality as well as those of their parents and younger siblings. Music is language that turns smiles into signposts. I infuse music in my classes, playing my music as well as theirs.  They indulge me in giving me the most playing time to which I am truly grateful.  I take them on field trips and bring in guest-speakers to give them a real feel of the subject at hand.

What's an aspect of being a teacher that you think most people outside the profession don't know or fully understand?

Most people outside the profession don't know or fully understand that teachers need their downtime, a retreat of sorts. When teachers are not teaching they are planning and when they are not planning they are teaching. 

What advice do you have for aspiring teachers? 

My advice for aspiring teachers is for them to take time to learn about themselves,  their students and their families, the culture of the school-community as well as the community-at-large and all aspects of the profession through continuous professional enhancement, preferably through a professional association. 

What is the most important thing you hope a student takes away from your class? The most important thing that I hope students take away from my class is that they can teach me too!