A lot of what makes Lincoln High School great is its staff members and their commitment to the student body. They are not only the first face you see entering a classroom, they also answer questions, give advice, and are often seen supporting the lynx at games and clubs.
This dedication caused me to wonder why our staff decided to pursue careers in education and if they find it fulfilling. What kind of background do some of our teachers have and what makes them motivated to come to school and teach us? To get to know them better, I ventured around the school asking teachers about their jobs.
First I decided to stop by the gym, where I was met with a smile and a sarcastic joke from Mr. Sauvage before being given some insight into his life.
Teaching high school P.E. wasn’t always in the plans for Mr. Sauvage. In fact, he started out as an accounting major in college, “I thought that was so boring, so I thought about what I enjoy.” What a surprise, he’s always loved sports, although he did teach math for 19 years, including algebra during his first year at Lincoln.
Ultimately, he decided teach what he knows best and took the physical education route. Mr. Sauvage started teaching at a K-8 school and has since experienced the pros and cons of all grades.
So, what makes teaching high school the ultimate career move? “There’s never a dull moment. 5th grade is really fun because they don’t talk back to teachers, but highschoolers are super funny and they make me laugh!” Sauvage’s fun approach to his job positively influences the behavior of his students and when you walk into the gym you always know you’ll have a good time.
I then decided to stop by room 351 to speak with Mr. D’Amico. I learned that generally, he’s always really appreciated the Seattle community and according to him, it’s super bikeable as he firmly believes cars bring us as a society apart and there’s a huge need for more people-oriented places.
I could tell that Mr. D’Amico cares about people and giving back to our community. I then asked why he chose to become a history teacher, “I really love school; I really love being places where learning is the focus. Also, office jobs, that’s the worst thing ever. My wife’s job is so boring. But me, you see, I come here and make coffee, listen to Taylor Swift. Yeah, it’s great.”
Mr. D’Amico’s love for his job and his obvious enthusiasm for school and teaching are seen through his connection with students. The joy he puts into his work is reflected back in students’ attitudes towards his classroom.
Overall what I found through these interviews is that Lincoln’s teachers are passionate about what they do and that is the reason for their devotion to the students, leading to a comfortable and fun learning environment for us all.