Mary Jackson has been a teacher for Lewiston High School for 35 years, with a total of 40 years under her belt as an educator. She has been instructing Spanish for her entire teaching career and will be retiring at the end of the 2022-23 school year. The Bengal’s Purr had the pleasure of interviewing her about her time as a teacher at LHS.
Bengal’s Purr: What made you become a teacher?
Mary Jackson: When I was younger I used to play teacher with the neighborhood kids, and after that, I really don’t know why I became a teacher. I went to college and didn’t know what I was going to do. I just took classes that I enjoyed and it naturally fell into place.
BP: What do you think has been the highlight of your teaching career?
MJ: I was chosen to visit Japan for three weeks on an educational tour with the Japan Fulbright Memorial Foundation. I created an all-school Japanese immersion week with all kinds of experiences and activities for students. It was awesome- kids got to have chopsticks in the cafeteria, we went with an Asian theme, and students even wore slippers to school, it was huge. We had after-school and lunchtime activities… I even had one of my former students come in and teach my classes karate. I had students from Japan attending LCSC come in and show kids how to do calligraphy and origami, it was a big deal. I was selected to go to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, and I even went to NATO…
BP: What has being a teacher taught you?
MJ: I love learning with my students and I still have a lot to learn.
BP: What will you miss the most?
MJ: I love highschool kids- that’s the bottom line.
BP: Are there any words of advice you’d give to students who plan to pursue teaching?
MJ: If you’d like to be a teacher, plan on being an interesting adventurer. Look for learning opportunities across the United States and world, join professional organizations that promote personal growth, [and] if you don’t love teaching, find something that drives your passion as a human being.
BP: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
MJ: I have never said the names at graduation- this is my 35th year of doing this- and I have never got my doctorate, and I really wish that I could’ve gotten it.