One of the biggest mysteries as a student is wondering what lives teachers lead outside of the classroom. Several beloved teachers on the Berkeley High School campus gave an inside perspective into their lives when they’re not acting as a teacher.
Along with other educators at BHS, during COVID-19, Menaka Gentle, a Universal 9th Grade Ethnic Studies/Social Living teacher, felt relentlessly unproductive. With little to do, she wanted a hobby. “I moved back in with my mom … and I had just graduated from college ... I needed something,” Gentle said.
“I pursue a lot of passions— gardening, bread-baking, (and) I’ll make pasta from scratch,” Gentle said. Gentle integrates what she has learned through her passion into her methods of fostering and educating her students. “Sometimes you can fertilize and do everything and that works or sometimes a plant grows way more than you would ever think,” she said.
As a teacher, she feels it is of the utmost importance to cater to each student’s individual traits.
“They’re like a concrete rose situation where they’re growing between a crack of concrete … and yet look at them and look at how great they are,” Gentle said.
Jenell Marshall, an African American Studies Department teacher, revealed how her unique interest sprouted with the pandemic too.
“I’ve always wanted to be on a game show ... but there was more accessibility with Zoom,” Marshall said, “I started applying because I was home all day ... I just kept applying until I got on ‘Let’s Meet a Deal.’”
What Marshall learned through her experience on the show shines through in her education methods. “I think being on a game show, you have to be personable, be able to talk to anyone. I think it (has made) me have a joyful, lighthearted spirit in class,” Marshall said.
For these educators, however, having a passion or hobby is not just for amusement, but also grants teachers the time and space to be their authentic selves. It can often be difficult to separate work life and personal life as an adult, leading to many teachers seeking refuge in a place where they can fully express their personalities and interests without the constraints of a classroom.
“I genuinely just enjoy disconnecting from everything, especially technology ... It’s nice to just go be in nature, and just not be around anyone,” said Ashley Cunningham, an Academic Choice World Literature teacher. Cunningham, who adores experiencing nature, specifically through camping, has seen her passion impact her quality of education for the better.
“If I take the time to reset myself and my mindset, it helps me show up as a better teacher,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham strongly relates to the struggle of not allowing her work to consume her as a person. To prevent this, she prioritizes the activities that connect to her unique personality.
“It just allows me to be my true authentic self, because as much as I love my job, it’s not what defines me,” Cunningham said. Like other educators, Cunningham is adamant about preserving her passions. It’s clear that time to herself is just as, if not more, valuable as time spent in the classroom.
BHS teachers possess passions and hobbies that resonate with their own character and perspective. Like everyone else, they value time and space to partake in the things they enjoy, as their true genuine selves.