In high school, some students do not like to stand out in a crowd. Having a parent who is a teacher in the building can lead to a good or bad reputation and experience for a person, making them not want to follow in their parent’s footsteps. Preconceived notions or never having any time away can be a barrier for students with parents who are teachers in the building, but this isn’t always negative and often can be a convenience. At times, it can hurt the student if their parent is disliked, but when someone has a good teacher and the child is also sweet, it can be very beneficial.
Carrie Johnson is a math teacher at the high school, and this will be her 28th year teaching. She has three children who have all attended the school. Her oldest son, Brady, graduated in 2020; her daughter, Peyton, just graduated in 2023; and her youngest daughter, Paige, is a freshman this year. Mrs. Johnson feels that being her children’s teacher challenged them. The different personalities of her kids affect how she gets involved. Johnson said, “It was difficult when my son had me because he didn’t want to ask me questions and definitely didn’t want to ask me in front of his peers. My daughter who graduated had more confidence about asking questions, and she was not as concerned about her peer’s perceptions. A lot of her friends had me as a teacher and would hang out in my classroom by the time they were seniors.”
Mrs. Johnson feels that being a teacher of her children has had its pros and cons. She thinks she has done a very good job when it comes to teaching her kids. Johnson said, “I think it is a special situation to have a parent that teaches at your school. However, there are drawbacks as well… I am sure my children felt that they could not get away with anything that happened at school, and that it was a drag to have teachers already know who they were. I would hope when they look back, they will find some positives that outweigh the negatives.”
Paige Johnson is a first-year student, and she is involved in track, volleyball, basketball, and softball. She likes having her mom working at the school, but sometimes it can be tough. Johnson said, “[Other teachers] think I should be perfect and quiet all the time or never get in trouble.” In addition to the preconceived notions, the relationship between the two also needs to be considered. Johnson said, “I think it stretches our relationship because I have to treat her like a teacher and not my mom.”
It is no secret that having a parent as one’s teacher can be hard, especially with the thought of people treating one differently or being seen as someone they are not. However, having a strong relationship with one’s parents is a pro. Either way, if one has family or parents working at the school, they should not be looked at differently and should be able to be themselves.
