The Purpose Behind Teaching

Teachers Share Their Purpose Behind Teaching

— Leah Emineth, General Reporter

For students, it is their responsibility to show up to school every morning at 8:22 to be prepared for a day of learning. The teachers, however, choose to be here and educate and inspire their students. It is easy to ask the question why do you come to school when asking a student, but asking a teacher the same question will give you a completely different answer with more reason. Brad Solemsaas is a psychology and sociology teacher at Mandan High School, and he has been teaching for over twenty years. “My first plan was to become a radiologic technician but I decided against it because of the math,” Solemsaas said. “After that I went to school for criminal justice, then about two weeks later one of my high school hockey coaches asked me if I wanted to coach hockey with him and asked me to get my teaching degree.” Solemsaas went on to get his degree in teaching with a major in history and a degree in criminal justice. “The hardest thing for me as a teacher was the second semester last year and transitioning to complete distance learning,” Solemsaas said. “Preparation is always the hardest thing because it is actually more work to be gone than it is to be at school.” Teaching comes with a lot of behind the scenes work that the typical student may not always see. “The most rewarding aspect of teaching for me is when you have “aha” moments or when I see a student finally understanding something,” Solemsaas said. The hard work that students put in rarely goes unnoticed. Teachers make a choice to guide and educate their students without judgment. “Over the years, my students have taught me to be more empathetic because people may be dealing with a lot of hardships that most people are not aware of, and that is why I try not to make my classes painful for people,” Solemsaas said. “I would rather them have a pleasant experience especially if this is the only pleasant experience of their day.” Students have the ability to teach their teachers just as much as they teach us. Students add different perspectives and different ideas, which challenges teachers to be more open minded. “One thing I want my students to learn from me is that if they have children, to engage with them, talk to them, read to them and do not be buried in electronics because they need to interact,” Solemsaas said. It is important to remember that teachers do not have to do what they do, but they do it to help their students and give them the chance to have a bright and successful future. Seth Peterson has been teaching English and AP language at Mandan High for 29 years. “I have always known that I wanted to teach,” Peterson said. “I remember in ninth grade taking a career aptitude test and hoping that it would indicate that I should be a teacher, and it did.” Peterson was a student teacher at Mandan High after he finished college and also became a substitute teacher for a year before joining the Mandan High staff. “I have always loved what is entailed in teaching, and I really like my students,” Peterson said “I find them very interesting.” For some kids, school is a highlight of their day, and they find a lot of excitement in coming to school and talking with teachers. “The hardest part of being a teacher is probably keeping up with correcting and keeping grades up to date,” Peterson said. Peterson has over 100 students to tend to so making corrections and keeping grades up to date can be a difficult task. “What is really rewarding is that once in a while I will get an email or phone call from a student I have had in the past who says thank you and tells me that I have had a positive impact on them,” Peterson said. The difference that a student and teacher can make on each other often goes overlooked and unappreciated. “If my students could take anything away from me, it would be that learning is fun,” Peterson said. “My students have taught me that it is important to have a sense of humor and that as a teacher I do not always have to be correct.” As much as teachers help their students and guide them, their students also teach them.

Photo by Leah Emineth English teacher, Seth Peterson began his career as a substitute teacher here at Mandan High School