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Can you tell us about yourself? 

"Hi, my name is Kara Henderson and I am a fourth grade teacher at W.M. Green Elementary in Fort worth, Texas. I have been there for four years. I have been in education a total of seven years."

Why did you start a career in education?

"I switched my career in my forties. I used to be, um, social worker for child protective services and once I had my children I wanted to have more time with them and I felt I could be more productive being a teacher. So I got into education because of that."  

If you could have any other job what would it be and why?

"If I could have any other job, I would want to manage a hotel or something on the beach so I could be close to the ocean all the time." 

How are kids different now than 30 years ago?

"How are kids different now than 30 years ago? I think kids are a lot less, um, focused. They cannot, um, focus for very long because they're used to instant gratification with technology now and that they are bored by you when you are just speaking to them and teaching them. And they are 100% way less respectful in school and they're not taught to be respectful by their parents." 

How is teaching different now than 30 years ago?

"And how is teaching different than 30 years ago while I was not a teacher 30 years ago. But I think for teachers it's just managing behavior is more challenging and I feel like sometimes we're just managing behavior and it's hard for us to teach. Whereas 30 years ago you could teach, there are a lot more challenges with um, children's issues today than there were 30 years ago. There's more children identified in special education and more autistic children and which that is special education. But um, and then a lot more behavior problems like I said."   

What would you tell someone who wants to become a teacher?

"What would you tell someone right now that is thinking about becoming a teacher? I would encourage it, but I would let them know up front there are, um, expectations that sometimes are not feasible to a teacher. It's, it can be overwhelming at times, but it is hugely rewarding and that they would have to, I would encourage them to get some type of behavior management knowledge before they go into a classroom."   

What is one thing you would change to help kids learn better?

"Number seven is what is the one thing you would change to help kids learn better? I would have less students in my class so I could spend more time in small group or one on one. So I think if I just had to pick one thing, that would be it. All right. Thanks so much."