This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with
Holly Acre
, a former teacher who now works in tech sales. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I got into teaching because I love sharing what I know and I love helping people, so it just seemed natural. Career tests in college all pointed to teaching. My mother was also a teacher, and I think I wanted to be like her, too.
I taught at what is considered a high-poverty school. The way you teach students who live in poverty is different because you need to make sure their basic needs are met before they can learn.