PATH Rising Teacher Blogs

Think of Teaching Less as a Career, More as a Purpose

Michael Hanisch

In the fall of my freshman year of college, I had a conversation with a friend that changed my life. That sounds dramatic, but it’s true. He asked me a simple question: “What do you want to do after college?”. I didn’t have any kind of concrete answer for that question then, and I don’t have much of a concrete answer for that question now, even as I sit here 3 years into a career as a high school teacher. But what I do have now, as a teacher, is a new lifestyle which, while difficult and exhausting, surrounds me with good people and good purpose, and it was in my time as a PATH Rising Teacher that I learned that I could live happily with this lifestyle and without an answer to the career question.

The friend who asked me what I wanted to do with my life happened to have just finished interning as the first ever PATH Rising Teacher, and when I told him I didn’t know what I wanted to do, he told me about the internship. I didn’t really see “teacher” as my future career then, and it might sound strange, but I don’t see it as my “career” even now. What I experienced and learned as a PATH intern is that dedicating yourself to teaching allows you to forget the need to label yourself with a career. Teaching feels less like a career that defines who you are as a professional adult and more like a purpose that capitalizes on and enriches who you are already: a purpose to give of yourself to others, a purpose to bring fulfillment to yourself, and a purpose to give yourself confidence that the effort you expend each day is contributing to the good.

What I remember from PATH is not that I built skills and made connections to set me up for a career, though I certainly did both. What I remember is a community of people together doing a good thing. I remember the students – their joy and receptivity to what I was trying to teach them, the poems they wrote, the projects they created, their enthusiasm. I remember the other PATH interns there in Tucson with me – us swimming together, hiking together, playing basketball, volleyball and soccer together. I remember the adult leaders, who genuinely wanted to help us become better teachers and feel more like a part of Tucson and of the team. All of these things – working for kids in whom you see light and potential and working with other like-minded adults who share your values and want also to give of themselves to do good – make you forget that you are doing a “job.” You feel, instead, a purpose.

If someone came up to me today and asked me, “What do you want to do with your life?”, I still couldn’t give them a concrete response, but what I could say is that I’ve been teaching since PATH, and my students, coworkers, and the nature of my work give me an orientation of purpose every day that is enough to convince me to dedicate my daily efforts to being the best teacher I can. So even if you don’t see yourself as a career teacher – if that sounds scary or you don’t want to commit to that occupation – I would say this: if you desire to feel like the work you are doing is bringing goodness into the world, if you want purpose in your life, try, even if it’s just for one summer, living with the orientation of purpose that teaching can give.

PATH Rising Teacher Blogs

Be someone’s smile: The Pursuit of PATH-iness

Luis Jimenez

What memory do you recall from middle school? Is there one specific moment that rises above the rest? What feeling does it invoke?

For some, the answer comes easily: a favorite teacher, a class project, or maybe a spark of curiosity that lit something inside. For others, it might be harder to pinpoint. However, the question is not just what we remember; it’s why. Why did that moment matter? Why did that teacher stand out?

I ask you this same question as you consider the path of teaching: why do you want to take on this responsibility? Teaching is not simply a job, it’s a vocation- one rooted in service and a commitment to the common good. Teaching is a chance to shape lives, to guide young minds, and to be a source of light in someone’s day.

If you can’t recall a defining classroom memory, let that be your motivation to create one for your students. Be the reason a student feels seen, valued, and capable. Be someone’s smile. Be the reason they are excited to learn. When you approach teaching with that mindset, everything else begins to fall into place.

When I started teaching over the summer for the ACE Summer PATH program, I had no prior classroom experience. I was nervous, unsure if I could truly make an impact. I quickly realized that teaching isn’t about perfection, it’s about patience. Every day, I walked into the classroom with a simple goal: to make my students feel welcome. I wanted them to see our classroom as a safe haven, a place where they could leave their troubles behind and focus on growing, laughing, and learning.

I still remember one student who was struggling to understand a concept. At first, I wasn’t sure how to reach him. But instead of just pushing him harder, I tried to listen. We started setting small goals together and celebrating even the tiniest wins. Over time, he began to open up and was able to piece the material to full comprehension. This reminded me that teaching is made up of moments like these- quiet, genuine breakthroughs that no test score can measure.

Through that experience, I discovered the quiet joy that comes from connecting with students. It was in the small moments such as a student grasping a difficult concept, a burst of laughter during a group activity, or a shy “thank you” at the end of class, that I felt an impact. Each of those moments reminded me that teaching is as much about listening and caring as it is about Instruction.

Patience became my most important tool. Some days were challenging, but those were often the days that taught me the most. I learned that progress isn’t always immediate, but it is always worth the wait.

Now, fast forward almost seven years later. Those same sixth graders I once taught are now receiving their college acceptance letters or beginning their first year of college. It’s surreal to think that the same students who once filled my classroom with questions, laughter, and energy are now stepping into the next chapter of their lives. Knowing that I played even a small role in their journey, that I helped spark confidence, curiosity, or belief in themselves, is one of the most powerful feelings I’ve ever experienced.

To anyone thinking about becoming a teacher: remember that you hold the power to shape memories, to build confidence, and to spark curiosity that lasts a lifetime. The classroom is not just a place to teach but rather it is a place to inspire.

So go ahead, be someone’s smile. You never know the difference it might make!