Focus on Change
Why I became an educator
By Pam Thompson, Tacoma Public Information Office, 2/26/2015
Want to hear what five area educators, including TPS' Mario Penalver, give as the reason why they became educators and what's kept them going?
The Seattle Times - Education Lab, in partnership with the University of Washington College of Education and 88.5 KPLU, hosted a teacher storytelling event Feb. 25 on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. KPLU recorded the event and will share the event on its website in about a week.
"I intend to share my story about my struggles with ADD, and how these struggles inspired my choice to become a teacher," said Penalver, a sixth-grade language arts teacher at Truman Middle School. "This program required that teachers submit a 2-minute story about their reasons for being a teacher. I shared my frustrations with being labeled 'remedial' and 'mentally disabled' by my teachers when I (and they) were trying to figure out what was wrong with me.
"It turns out that nothing IS wrong; I just think differently. But this early struggle in school led me to realize how crucial a teacher is in solving the riddle of how kids think and how those kids find success. Not by labeling, but by identifying what it is they need in order to be the best students possible."
Penalver plans to be a spokesperson for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.
The program was the third storytelling event organized by Education Lab. The first two events focused on students who had overcome obstacles to get to college. This time, five local teachers shared short personal stories about what led them to education, and what's kept them going, according to an article by Caitlin Moran with the Seattle Times.
"Why teach? Educators today are under more pressure than ever before. Standards are changing, schools are growing, and the pay isn't getting any better," Moran said. "Even so, talented and passionate individuals are still pursuing the profession, and veteran educators continue their work despite all the challenges."
Penalver is also a 2015 guest columnist with The News Tribune. He plans to share his teaching experiences and his growing up as a Cuban-American through the column.
Education Lab is a project to spark meaningful conversations about education solutions in the Pacific Northwest.
Why I became an educator
By Pam Thompson, Tacoma Public Information Office, 2/26/2015
Want to hear what five area educators, including TPS' Mario Penalver, give as the reason why they became educators and what's kept them going?
The Seattle Times - Education Lab, in partnership with the University of Washington College of Education and 88.5 KPLU, hosted a teacher storytelling event Feb. 25 on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. KPLU recorded the event and will share the event on its website in about a week.
"I intend to share my story about my struggles with ADD, and how these struggles inspired my choice to become a teacher," said Penalver, a sixth-grade language arts teacher at Truman Middle School. "This program required that teachers submit a 2-minute story about their reasons for being a teacher. I shared my frustrations with being labeled 'remedial' and 'mentally disabled' by my teachers when I (and they) were trying to figure out what was wrong with me.
"It turns out that nothing IS wrong; I just think differently. But this early struggle in school led me to realize how crucial a teacher is in solving the riddle of how kids think and how those kids find success. Not by labeling, but by identifying what it is they need in order to be the best students possible."
Penalver plans to be a spokesperson for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.
The program was the third storytelling event organized by Education Lab. The first two events focused on students who had overcome obstacles to get to college. This time, five local teachers shared short personal stories about what led them to education, and what's kept them going, according to an article by Caitlin Moran with the Seattle Times.
"Why teach? Educators today are under more pressure than ever before. Standards are changing, schools are growing, and the pay isn't getting any better," Moran said. "Even so, talented and passionate individuals are still pursuing the profession, and veteran educators continue their work despite all the challenges."
Penalver is also a 2015 guest columnist with The News Tribune. He plans to share his teaching experiences and his growing up as a Cuban-American through the column.
Education Lab is a project to spark meaningful conversations about education solutions in the Pacific Northwest.
