Why I became a Teacher

I was 23 years old and working as a "Cowboy" in Utah's West Desert, under the shadows of the Deep Creek Mountains, a biological island in a desert sea. One day while I was tossing loose hay in a long manger, the usual 60 mph winds were blowing east off the backside of the Deep Creeks. The chaff from the hay was getting into my eyes and everything else. It was miserable. I said to myself, "There has got to be something better than this..."

At the time, I was teaching a Sunday School class with virtually all the kids (ages 12-19) from the area. We had a great time, and the kid's would frequently visit me on the ranch where I worked. Ed Alder was the Principal of the local school and had noticed this. He told me that I should consider a career in Education.

The rest is history. I worked hard to receive my degree, supporting a family of six while self-employed in a full-time business.

I had the opportunity in November (2006) to visit with my friend and mentor, Ed Alder, the Principal/Teacher of the West Desert School in Utah. He has taught there for over 27 years. It is a K-12 school with about 22 students.

Talking with Ed, I found that his school is now ranked #1 in Utah, outscoring even the much larger schools in Salt Lake City. Utah is already known nationally for its academic excellence, which makes this small schools' track record even more significant. His graduates typically receive scholarships from all over the country, including prestigious universities.

His secret: Consistancy. He's there year after year.

Another school, the Callao Elementary (K-8), feeds into the West Desert High School. Annette Garland has been there for 34 years. It is a one-room schoolhouse.

At both schools, over half of the students are on free or reduced lunches.

Ed never locks the school, it's always open. He told me that this is in case one of the students end up stranded in the area, he/she will have somewhere to go. The school is immaculate, and I don't beleive that he's ever had anything stolen.

Here is proof that the size of the school does not matter, nor does the socio-economic class of the students matter in order for the school to be successfull. Being a product of a small school in Southern Utah, I have always known that small schools can not only succeed, but set high and rigorous standards for academic excellence.

It was working with young people and having a positive affect on their lives that attracted me to teaching. Through Ed and Annette, I also envisioned stability and consistancy within the profession, as well as the ability to live in a rural area while providing reasonable support for my family. This sounded good to me, so I went for it!