This week’s From the Heart author is John Storjohann, Computer Science teacher.
The question was recently posed to me, “Why do you teach?”. More specifically, the question asked was, “Why do you teach at the Academy?”. The answer to that has been my professional journey and a personal blessing for as long as I have been a member of the community at the Academy of the Sacred Heart.
There is no other vocation I can imagine that would provide me with the same sense of deep personal, professional and spiritual satisfaction. I wake up each day and have the opportunity (admittedly a challenging one) to help inspire the lives of almost 200 young minds and hearts. I have the chance to help our students discover a passion for learning, to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-worth, and to help them to realize that our invitation in this life is to know and discover the love of God in each other – through our words as well as in our actions.
I teach at the Academy because the Goals and Criteria that shape and inform our educational mission reach out to the development of the whole child; our students deserve to know every day that they are valued for who they are, for what they contribute to the world, for their immense potential, and to know that they are loved. That’s the celebration. That’s the challenge. That’s why I teach.
There is rarely a dull moment. Our youngest students gaze with wonder at the world and need our guidance. Our oldest students are (rightfully) learning to become more independent and how to own their own voice; they can be incredibly funny, occasionally challenging, yet always evolving. They need our guidance as well; not as sages so much as mentors, as guides. I am truly a better person because of the interactions I have with them. Their questions and insights invite me to continue on my own journey with the same inquisitive mind that they possess. What a gift!
Every day at the Academy, in front of a classroom, is a learning experience, for the teacher and the students in their care. I am reminded daily of the impact we can have as a teacher; when I am truly present, there is always that sense of excitement and of potential, of seeing a child discover themselves. I am blessed for the opportunity.
— John Storjohann
