Getting to know Mr. Kelley, first-year science teacher

by Jesus V.

Mr. Kelly never thought that he’d be a High School Anatomy and Physiology Teacher. In fact, he had always planned to be a med school student at University of South Carolina to graduate and become a surgeon. Mr. Kelly wanted to graduate at the University of South Carolina for Medical, but life had a way of throwing unexpected curveballs. Mr. Kelly found himself in a different career path.

It all started when Mr. Kelly’s father passed away unexpectedly due to COVID-19, turning his life upside down. It was a shock to everyone in the family, as no one suspected that his father was even sick. As Mr. Kelly struggled to come to terms with his father’s death, he couldn't help but wonder if things could have been different if his father had only shared his symptoms with the rest of the family.

As it turned out, Mr. Kelly's father had only confided in his brother (Mr. Kelly’s uncle) about his symptoms, and had asked him not to tell the rest of the family. This left everyone blindsided when his father passed away, and Mr. Kelly couldn't help but feel a sense of anger and frustration towards his father for not sharing his illness with the rest of the family. But Mr. Kelly couldn't dwell on the past for too long. He had his own struggles to deal with, including the stress of his job at UPS and his upcoming MCAT finals for med school. Mr. Kelly had always dreamed of becoming a doctor, and he had been studying for the MCAT for months in preparation.

But with the sudden passing of his father, Mr. Kelly found it difficult to focus on his studies. He was consumed with grief, and the stress of his job at UPS only added to his burden. It seemed like every day was a struggle, and Mr. Kelly often found himself questioning whether he had made the right choice in pursuing a career in medicine. Determined to make a difference, Mr. Kelly left his job at UPS and decided to pursue a career in medicine. But the road to medical school was a long and difficult one trying to stay ahead of his MCAT studies to pass the final, and Mr. Kelly found himself struggling to make ends meet. He took on odd jobs here and there to make ends meet, but none of them seemed to be a good fit.

It wasn't until his in-laws suggested that Mr. Kelly considered becoming a teacher when he found a job that he felt passionate about. At first, Mr. Kelly was hesitant - he didn't have any experience in teaching, and he wasn't sure if he'd be any good at it. But he needed the money and the stability that a teaching job could offer, so he decided to give it a shot.

Now, as Mr. Kelly’s alarm clock goes off at 5:30 a.m. each morning, he knows that he has a long day ahead of him. He starts the day off by drinking his morning coffee and putting on his basic necessities like deodorant and a pair of clothes. If he hadn’t showered the night before he’d showered in the morning. He then gets his briefcase and teacher items, and goes to his car to leave for Airport High School.

By 7:30 a.m Mr. Kelly is at school, getting his lesson plans in order and reviewing his notes if he figures that his lesson seems too hard for his students. He knows that he's not a traditional teacher, but he's determined to do the best he can for his students. Throughout the day, Mr. Kelly leads his classes through certain fun activities, sometimes trying different teaching methods like the 25, 5 method; giving 25 minutes of learning time and 5 of resting time. He tries to make the material as engaging as possible, knowing that his students are more likely to learn and retain information if they're doing the work. In between classes, Mr. Kelly spends his free periods grading papers, answering emails, and preparing for upcoming lessons. He knows that there's always more work to be done, but he tries not to let it overwhelm him. Sometimes he likes to have fun and plays some video games.

As the day wears on, Mr. Kelly finds himself getting more and more tired. Teaching is hard work, and he often feels like he's constantly on the go, due to some kids not even giving the bare minimum and just staring blankly on their phones, only showing apathy to learn in school. But he knows that he's making a difference, and that keeps him going, because he likes to see the students who are actually trying and to see that those students are actually determined to be good in his Biology class. Often Mr. Kelly awards his students for their growth and determination by rewarding them with cool stuff; ranging from foods, snacks, extra-credit, etc. He vows to keep his promise so the students will feel rewarded in learning and actually show that they growed and were determined to learn in his class.

Finally, around 4:00 p.m Mr. Kelly heads home. He's exhausted, but he's also proud of the work he's done. He spends the evening catching up on his own studies, trying to stay on top of going to the gym. As he arrives back he goes to shower and get ready for dinner, and drifts off to sleep each night, sometimes even staying up to plan his difficult lessons so the students understand and comprehend better. Mr. Kelly knows that he's not where he thought he'd be in life. But he's also grateful for the unexpected path that led him to teaching. He knows that he's making a difference, and that's what matters most.