My "Why"
Everyone has their “why” when it comes to picking a profession. Sometimes our “why” is
financial, or maybe convenience. “Why” can be a small reason or a monumental one. For me,
my “why” started with my grandfather, Dean Welin. For as long as I can remember my
grandfather was an educator. He fit the role perfectly with his outgoing, bubbly personality and
his genuine compassion towards students. He started his career as an elementary teacher, and
then eventually someone suggested he look into administration. He ended up being a principal
for multiple elementary, middle, and high schools, serving a total of 40+ years in this role. Even
after “retiring” he continued to make his mark on the world of education by teaching and
observing student teachers! His dedication to the field of education was known by everyone he
came in contact with, as he was known by his friends and family as “The Principal.” As a child,
seeing his passion for working with students and teachers instilled a similar passion in me.
Getting to witness his interactions with random people on the street who would come up and
say “Mr. Welin, you were my favorite principal I’ve ever had” left such a large impact in my life.
Early on I decided that I wanted to make as big of an impact on others as my grandfather had
continually done. I always knew I was great at working with children, but I was not fully sold on
teaching until later on. It was getting time to apply for college and I had no idea what major to
pick. My grandfather, being the helpful man he was, set up a full day of observations for me in
order to see if teaching was something I would be interested in. After spending a day hopping
around class after class with him, I fell in love with the atmosphere of a school. Between my day
of observations, and my grandfather constantly in my ear about the opportunities for teachers, I
decided teaching was for me. I don’t know if my grandfather had been happier than when I told
him I had officially determined I want to teach. Now, each day I spend with my students or with
my peers at TCSJ I think about how excited he would be. Every time I step foot in my Residency
classroom I think “what would my grandpa do?”
Figuring out our “why” we choose our occupation can greatly impact how we do our jobs.
Our “why” drives us each day to get up and do our jobs to the best of our abilities. So, any time I
get asked “why teaching,” I answer with “Dean Welin, my grandfather.”