Celebrating 150 Years: Teacher and Student Stories Unveiled

To celebrate this school’s 150th anniversary, I decided to interview someone who has experienced not only the teacher side of things, but also the student side. Last week I interviewed a teacher who has been here since their student days, Mr. Kauffman. From his time as a student, the school’s main mission has stayed consistent over the years. Back then, the school population was much larger, and teachers were much more open to being a little harsh with students. Despite what some people might think about the past, that it was way less advanced and clean, our school has practically stayed the same.

A long hallway with tiled walls and a group photo hanging on the left, featuring several young people. The corridor has fluorescent lighting and a fire alarm sign visible on the wall.

This school can inspire people to pursue and find what they want to do with their lives. When I found time to sit down with Mr. Kauffman, he told me that he’s always wanted to teach language, and for his senior project at MSJ he made it about teaching it to people. This school gave Mr. Kauffman an opportunity to pursue his dream of teaching others languages, and coming back to teach made that dream come true. Coming back as a teacher also let him teach alongside his former teachers, the people who taught him.

Interior view of a library with study areas, computers, and people working at desks under bright lighting.

Students might think teachers were always fit for the job, but they often forget that they started right where they are: as students. Teachers go through most of the same experiences as the students. They know how it felt to be given all sorts of classwork and homework. Your teachers have basically gone through the same exact lives as you, and from their time at MSJ, they learned to truly love it. Most teachers come back because they love this school and want to give back after all it did for them. Mr. Kauffman shared his story to me on how his love for teaching others languages combined with his love for the school lead him back here to teacher.

A modern library interior featuring bookshelves, comfortable seating, and bright overhead lighting. A brick column supports the structure, and a framed portrait is visible on the wall.

Sometimes all you need in order to follow your dreams is to have one little moment or push to go through with it. As we have seen time and time again, most students who have a special connection with the school are the ones most likely to come back as teachers themselves. From my time with Mr. Kauffman to my very own research and experience, I have witnessed how one wants to become a teacher and how they go about it. I got to see the differences and similarities between a teacher’s time as a student and our own experiences. We all go through the same lives and share so many similarities with each other. This has been my journey of discovering the past and sharing how you and your teachers aren’t so different after all.