I had my first teaching experience when I was a freshman in high school with a CCD class of six first-graders. Though challenging, I loved watching my students begin to understand how to know, love, and serve God. I went on to teach all four years of high school (two years with first grade and two years with fifth grade) and, by senior year, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I applied to the Lynch School at Boston College as a secondary education and biology double major.
For the first three semesters of college, I frequently thought about dropping the education major, but I was sustained by my teaching of second-grade religious education at St. Ignatius Parish. I felt confident that God was calling me to teach, but it wasn’t until my first pre-practicum at Brighton High School that I was assured that was true. Other pre-practicums and summer teaching experiences assured me that I was a decent educator, but I truly felt at home at my third pre-practicum when I was placed at Boston College High School, an all-boys Jesuit school in Dorchester. Since my time was cut short when the coronavirus pandemic sent us home, I asked to be placed there again for my full practicum.
My full practicum experience at Boston College High School has allowed me to better understand teaching as a vocation. BC High takes seriously its mission of forming men for others. By combining a rigorous academic curriculum, ample opportunities for service, and a strong presence of Jesuit spirituality, BC High creates a space where its students grow into men for others. In caring for the whole person (attending to their physical, emotional, spiritual, and academic needs), a teacher becomes more than just the individual who stands at the front of the room and lectures. They can become a confidant, a mentor, and a role model. By caring for students in this way, the educator can grow as well; we can become more patient, empathetic, and faithful.
One of the benefits of Catholic education, which I was glad to experience during my time at BC High, is accessibility to the sacraments for both students and staff. Several mornings each week, I had the opportunity to begin my day with Holy Mass. This allowed me, as an educator, to start my day in a reflective way and helped me be a better teacher for my students. Catholic schools, unlike their state counterparts, are able to work to form their students spiritually, as well as mentally. One of my favorite parts of the day at BC High was morning prayer. During the first few minutes of the first period, a student or staff member read a prayer. Sometimes it was a poem, a reflection from a saint, or once the Hail Mary in ancient Greek. This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to center themselves and begin their day on a calm note. Another uniquely Jesuit practice of BC High was the weekly Examen. This asked students to pause and reflect on their week, identifying points where they did well and where they could improve.
Another strength of Catholic schooling is the emphasis that is put on relationships and community building. In a letter circulated to Catholic schools from the Vatican at the beginning of the school year, we were reminded of the importance of encounters with others. While schools each operated in their own way, Catholic schools stood out in returning students to classrooms or providing robust online studies. Driven by the common desire to form human persons rather than mathematicians, scientists, or writers, Catholic school teachers went above and beyond.
My job as a Catholic educator is to share in the Church’s mission of forming saints. I am thankful to the Church for giving us these exemplars of Christian faith and service. Teaching is a challenging profession and I find strength in my students and the saints. In particular, I look to St. John Baptiste de La Salle, patron saint of teachers, for inspiration. Through fervent prayer, frequent participation in the sacraments, and striving to form students into saints, Catholic educators can contribute to the building up of on Earth as it is in Heaven.
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