East Grand Rapids — Katie Michell sees teaching as something larger and loftier than a mere job.
“I think it’s a civic responsibility,” the East Grand Rapids High School teacher said. “It’s a core part of our democracy to have public educators doing good work. That’s a firm part of my belief system.”
Values are inextricable from education, Michell says. She believes it’s her duty to help her build compassion, empathy and understanding among students, and she hopes the world doesn’t lose sight of the importance of that part of the educator’s role.
“If we’re not teaching people to be kind to one another, and to be kind to ourselves, we’re teaching them something else — a different value — and I’m struggling with what values might be more important than kindness and civic responsibility.”
Michell has been at East for 20 years. She teaches English, American Literature and International Baccalaureate Higher Level Language and Literature. She’s also the adviser for the student-led newspaper, The East Vision.
Why do you teach? “I just like kids. I like the age group — full of energy. They’re just developmentally looking for something to look forward (to) … so it’s really kind of exciting to be on the precipice of something.”
Michell attended East herself. Her mother, Sheila Pantlind, was a longtime teacher and assistant principal with the district, who modeled for Michell just how impactful a teacher can be.
“My mom, she changed people’s lives because of who she was,” said Michell, adding that she hopes she also has a positive, lasting impact on students.
What is your biggest motivator that keeps you excited about teaching? “As educators we sometimes feel the opposite of, like, the night before Christmas, because you’re tired and you don’t want to go in,” she said with a chuckle. “But as soon as I get there and see (students’) faces, there really is the joy of knowing you’re going to make relationships. … As soon as I see their faces, it makes everything fun.”
‘It’s a core part of our democracy to have public educators doing good work.’
— East Grand Rapids High School teacher Katie Michell
What’s the best thing about the subjects you teach? Each subject stands out in its own way for Michell. She relishes the extra time she gets to see students grow during the two-year I.B. course, while American Literature allows her to explore some of her passion areas.
“American Literature I like because it’s such a great humanities course. I can talk about history and movements and authors and intertextuality a lot.”
Teaching journalism is a way to pass along her sense of civic duty to students.
“I believe strongly that journalism is the Fourth Estate, and that without a free press we run the risk of being overpowered by totalitarianism,” Michell said. “That sounds hyperbolic, but it has kept us in check.”
What are some of the challenges in your role and how do you strive to meet them? From large class sizes to changing technologies to the uphill battle of encouraging intrinsic student motivation, Michell says there’s no shortage of hurdles for teachers to overcome.
Building strong relationships with students and colleagues, and taking a creative and adaptive approach to teaching helps her make the most of the challenges she faces.
“I like all the kids. They’re good kids,” she said. “And I love my colleagues. … I love collaborating with people in my department and hearing their ideas and the way we support each other.”
What’s the most amazing thing about your students? “It’s easy to form good relationships because they’re still young people who are looking for mentors, but you can also laugh with them and tell jokes. I mean, they make me laugh all the time. … And when that happens, I think I could teach however many more years. …
“When someone has a story to tell, when someone writes something that I’m just, like, ‘Yes!’ then that’s great.”
What would you say to someone considering teaching as a profession? “It’s one of the more creative jobs that you can do, and I don’t think people think of it that way. It’s a creative, fun job with people who really care. The faculty at East cares about the students, and I know that.
“It’s good to be around people who actually care about people.”
What’s something you’ve learned from your students? Michell says her students have taught her about the “human experience.”
“Everybody’s going through something. We can oftentimes think that everybody’s got it OK, but they’re going through something,” she said. “They’ve taught me about resilience and about grief and about moving on. … That requires compassion on their part and mine.”
How has your job changed over the course of your career? Technology has been a major change, and teachers have more responsibilities than they did when Michell first started out.
“A lot of the technology has been for the better, but it’s also been complicated,” she said.
Anything else? “The community has been really supportive of me. The kids have been great. And my colleagues, the faculty here, (have) been awesome in the 20 years that I’ve been here.”
She gave an added shoutout to Sara Edleman, her department head, who helped her design her American Lit class.
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