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Can you tell us about yourself? 

“My name is Ms. Hickman. I teach at Kemp Primary School, which is located in Hampton, GA. I have been there for 5 years now.”

Why did you start a career in education?

“I started teaching because I used to work in a juvenile correction center and the children used to come ask me for help. I felt like if they had enough belief in me to think I could help with their work, even though I was just a correctional officer that I should go back to school and receive a degree. So, I did and here we are today.”

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

“If I wasn’t teaching, I would want to be a family lawyer because again, I think that kids are put into some difficult situations. I want to be able to help them to get the best out of life.”

How are kids different now than 30 years ago?

“Kids are different now from when they were 30 years ago because there are many more issues that they have to deal with and that prevents them from being the best versions of themselves because they have more that they have to deal with than children 30 yeas ago did. I am not that much older than 30, but I do know that children now deal with much more than I had to deal with when I was a child growing up.”

How is teaching different now than 30 years ago?

“Teaching is different because there are way more tests now than when I was growing up as well. I do not recall taking so many standardize tests to prove what I know the way these kids are taking tests now.”

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

“If I was going to talk to someone who was thinking about becoming a teacher, I would let them know that it not just teaching. They are many more hats that you have to wear besides the teacher hat, and you have to built for this. This is not something you can just do without the passion because there is a lot that comes with it outside of the role of teaching.”

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

“If there was one thing that I would change, it would be the amount of testing and extra things that they are requiring of the students outside of just being prepared for life itself.”