Teacher Profile: Ms. Marks

Ms. Marks is a teacher at Forest Grove High School. She has been teaching for 13 years. At first, Ms. Marks wanted to become a lawyer but she had moments where she got told that she was meant to become a teacher. Then she went to college at Portland State and University of Portland for her 4-year degree then switched her major to English and went to graduate school at Lewis and Clark. Then, she started working at FGHS. Currently, she teaches Avid 9 and Avid 11, which means she teaches freshmen and juniors.

Ms. Marks didn’t think of being a teacher and at the end of the day, she has impacted all of her students in a way where they want to push harder and go to college. Ms.Marks has shown much dedication into being a teacher and has shown her support to the students by being there for them when they are struggling. Being a teacher wasn’t in her plans, but in the end, she doesn’t regret it because, for her, the reward is to see that what she teaches actually leave an impact on her students. Teaching what a growth mindset is and other subjects to be able to push her students to succeed and make it to college. Ms. Marks always pushed herself to be better every school year. She stated, “The year I don’t feel like I have to improve, the year that I feel like it was my best year and I taught my best, will be the year that I stop teaching.” This her form of motivation to keep on teaching and it’s really amazing to use your mistakes and try to grow from them and push yourself to be better.

Having a career as a teacher can be very stressful but at the same time can be quite rewarding when students start to realize what you teach is helping their knowledge grow and that’s how Ms. Marks looks at it. Having to teach Avid is all about teaching students about developing growth mindset, grit, and techniques on how to help you think of the school as an opportunity to go to college and have a successful life. Many students feel the impact Ms. Marks has left for them and that makes them strive for their goals and push themselves to be better. Doubt and fear can be big factors while being a teacher and yes, stress can be an important factor while being a teacher, but Ms. Marks has shown her entire personality to her students to prove how comfortable and realistic she can be. Ms. Marks said, “the way I’m in the class and how I talk is the exact way how I talk with my mom and friends,” showing the amount of realism she shows anywhere. This can really be surprising to some people, but once she shows comfortability, it develops trust and close connections with her students.

In conclusion, Ms. Mark’s has and keeps offering students new ways to see school as an advantage to succeed. Having the confidence to talk to her students about her personal experiences ends up impacting students in a very positive way. Many may have different opinions on Ms. Marks and she doesn’t give it attention because at the end of the day. Whatever students’ opinions are on her she’s still going to be there for her students to help them grow and succeed. Ms. Marks is truly an amazing teacher that she even takes her time on students that are not even her students because she cares for everyone’s success. Overall, Ms. Marks does so much for a lot of students and that is an amazing and honorable thing.