From chatting in the teacher’s lounge to corralling their students, teachers are often seen as one-dimensional. They teach. People who, to students, operate only inside the hours of 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. If we see them outside of school, it feels surreal, like we’ve crossed a bridge that we didn’t know existed. But, despite how obvious this might sound, teachers have lives too. They have hobbies and skills just like us. Let’s dive into three teachers’ post-school lives.
The first NAHS educator is Ms.Grant, who teaches IB Math Analysis and Approaches. She entered the STEM field in pursuit of helping people overcome its challenges and graduated from Georgia Tech with a background in chemical engineering. But once the clock strikes 3:30 and she drives away from the hectic (albeit dangerous) NAHS parking deck, Grant enters a different world. She loves to cook all kinds of meals – especially Asian food, which she acquired a fancy for after living abroad. On the weekends, she likes to hike or practice her jiu-jitsu. Yes, she does jiu-jitsu. Otherwise, Grant says she loves to “sleep in and not worry about an alarm.”
Another beloved teacher is Mr. Nelson, who teaches IB History of the Americas. Known for his witty humour, stockpile of historical memes, and love for throwing Dum-Dums, Nelson is also a fan of the Beltline and often goes there after school. On the weekends, most of his time is put into disc golf – a sport that most likely influences his DumDum throwing habit. When he’s not throwing discs and strolling the beltline, you may find him attending a concert. His next ones up are Phish and Goose. The bottom line – fresh air and fresh bands drive Mr. Nelson!
To wrap it up, Ms. Mills will finish us off strong. Mills may be an IB Lit teacher, but she’s also a grandmother, looking after her two-year-old granddaughter often. When Mills is not hanging with her granddaughter, she is keeping in touch with her two sons, who might be getting married soon – one in Spain! From planning international weddings to play dates with her granddaughter, Ms. Mills is all about family. Yet, she still enjoys time to herself, and to no surprise, she often spends it reading. Her favorite book is Mists of Avalon.
NAHS holds many surprises, and the diverse interests of our teachers certainly add to it. From jiu-jitsu to disc golf to quality time with family, we have so much to learn from our educators. So next time you have some extra time with one of your favorite teachers, ask them what they enjoy outside of school. You might be surprised by what you hear.
