TJ’s New Teachers: CTE Edition

We’ve welcomed 17 new teachers into Governor Thomas Johnson High School this year, each with their own stories and background. Of these teachers, this month will be focused on the CTE Teachers, delving into their history as teachers and how they’ve been able to handle the many pressures that come with being a first year teacher.

Starting off the showcase is Mr. Moorer. Prior to him coming to TJ, He worked as a carpenter in the local union downtown in DC. When asked about how he handled stress as a new teacher, he had this to say, “Being a teacher is incredibly mentally stressful but coming from a trade where I was very labor intensive, I find teaching to be very rewarding because the mental stress you can recover quickly from were physical stress weights on you longer and takes more out of you so it’s more of a mental load then what I’m used to.” Finally, when he was asked about
something he wanted to leave with his students, he said that he hopes every student that goes through him leaves with the understanding that he was fair.

Next up is Mr. Wishner. He worked as an admin at a gym and as a waiter in which he described his experience as “Dealing with people who weren’t happy”. Interestingly, he’s never faced any kind of stress as a new teacher, solely because his parents are also teachers. And when asked what he wanted to leave with his students, he said that he doesn’t want his students to put their heads down and no matter how bad the work is he wants it turned in.

The final new teacher of the CTE department is Mr. Patrick. He taught social studies at a maximum juvenile facility and then taught for 10 years in Kentucky before coming to TJ. When asked about if he felt stress as a first year teacher, he responded no, explaining that no matter if you’re a first year teacher or it’s your tenth year, it’s the same “policies, procedures, and engaging with your students as best you can.” He wants his students to go into a stem direction and

wants to see them in a magazine as a top designer.

Many first year teachers face various amounts of stress according to an article by Study.com. From having to consistently create lesson plans and activities, to having to be evaluated by administrators, all these factors as well as some more can cause a huge dent in teachers’ health. However these teachers have taken their past experiences and used them as foundation for entering TJ. They are ready to go above and beyond for their students, so if you end up having them as a teacher in the future, it’s safe to say that you’ll be in good hands.