Words: Miranda Mason and Amanda Ali

In honor of American Education Week, we asked some Centennial teachers about why they became teachers and what they love most about their job!

Ms. Shipp
1. How many years have you been teaching?
-Seven years! I can’t believe it.
2. What college did you go to?
-University of Maryland, College Park
3. Have you won any awards for teaching?
-Class of 2012’s Teacher of the Year
4. What made you want to become a teacher?
-I’ve always loved working with kids and I love English. I was also inspired by some really great teachers who encouraged me. I wanted to honor them by following in their footsteps.
5. What do you love about teaching?
-I love that every day is unpredictable. I love that no matter how much I think I know about a topic, my students always teach me that there’s more to learn about life, about literature, and about myself.

Mr. Desmond
1. How many years have you been teaching?
-33 years, 28 years at Centennial
2. What college did you go to?
-I spent five semesters at Georgetown University and three semesters abroad.
3. What made you want to become a teacher?
-At the time when I first started, I wanted to combine my interest in language with my interest and teaching kids. I wanted to motivate others with languages, and it’s amazing knowing that I could touch lives. This has stuck with me through all of my years of teaching.
4. What do you love about teaching?
-I love the community. The parents are awesome with support towards the teachers, and the students are very respectful. It was a very comfortable fit from the start, and the community still continues to anchor in values of respect and responsibility.

Mrs. Norris
1. How many years have you been teaching?
-This is my 33^rd year teaching
2. What college did you go to?
-I went to Longwood College in Virginia for my undergraduate degree, and then I went to Towson University in Maryland for my graduate degree.
3. What made you want to become a teacher?
-All the way up to the end of high school I was very active in the Girl Scouting Program. I had achieved the highest rank in the program at the time, and then I became a Girl Scout counselor. At the camp, I taught many different programs, which made me discover that I was great at it and wanted to do it as a career.
4. What do you love about teaching?
-The kids are first. The joy in seeing students learn and be able to use that learning in their life independently is so satisfying. Also, the support of the other teachers are amazing; we can’t do it alone.

Mr. Reisman
1. How many years have you been teaching?
-This is my 24^th year teaching
2. What college did you go to?
-I went to Boston University for my Undergraduate degree in Special Education, and Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. for my Graduate degree.
3. What made you want to become a teacher?
-I have always been interested in working with kids. I once read a book called Dibs in Search of Self, which is about a young boy who is diagnosed with a disability. Everyone would make fun of him, but it turns out that he was a genius. This taught me that you never know what’s going through someone, and what you say changes lives. Also, being a good male role model is very important.
4. What do you love about teaching?
-First off, working with kids. I love helping them and getting feedback from them at the end of the year. It’s very satisfying seeing students do the right thing. Also, I love the co-workers; it is a great environment, and I could not do it without them.