A Worthy Educator and Executive Director, Academic Programs and Options for the Baltimore County, Maryland Public Schools
“You are not merely here to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand.” – Woodrow Wilson
None of us chose a career in education because of the opportunities for obtaining great wealth. Contrary to popular non-educator opinion, we didn’t sign on because of the “summers off.” Most of us heeded the calling because we wanted to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, and felt we had the capability of doing so. Throughout much of my career, this desire to, as President Wilson said, “enrich the world” was enough to maintain a healthy stream of inspired high-quality teacher candidates to serve our students. Is it still enough? According to Gallup (February 2024), “interest in the teaching profession among high school seniors and college freshmen has declined by 50% since the 1990s”. We know that, in part, the media tell stories that negatively portray the teaching profession, pushing potential educators to “forget this errand” of enriching the world through teaching.
So, how do we push back against this negativity and re-ignite a desire and sense of purpose in our young people so that they consider a career that impacts the future more than any other?
Tell your story! Make it a point to tell the story of when and how you realized you were making the difference you set out to make.
I’ll start!
When we, as educators, are making a positive impact in a student’s life, it is rarely evident at the time it is happening. In fact, the job can feel downright thankless and frustrating at times. However, down the road, when we see glimpses of our dedication and commitment to the mission bearing fruit, we remember that we “are not here merely to make a living” but to “enrich the world.”
At a school concert, during my first year as a music teacher, one of my clarinet players was clinging to her father’s promise that he would show up to watch her play her first solo. He never did. I was very young and wasn’t exactly sure what to say to this 10 year old girl who could not stop crying after the concert. I eventually spoke from my heart and said, “When I get married and have a daughter some day, I hope she is a lot like you.” Although my main goal was to make her feel better and get her to stop crying, I genuinely had a special place in my heart for this vibrant, sweet girl who worked really hard to be the best clarinet player she could be. Despite my desire to brighten her mood, she grunted a barely audible “thanks” to my comment, and continued to sob until her mother picked her up (her mom also wasn’t in attendance). Thirteen years later, I was at Ruby Tuesday in the local mall with my wife and four children. As we were being seated, I heard someone yell, “MR. ELMENDORF!” When I turned around, I saw the clarinet player, except now she was a 23 year old young woman. (It’s not often that young women come up to me in restaurants and put their arms around me, so it was quite the scene). She asked if I remembered her, which I assured her I did. Then she saw my daughter, and said, “Is that your daughter?” “Yes!” I responded. My former student then looked at me with a big smile and asked, “Is she as much like me as you hoped she would be?”
As a young and naïve teacher, I tried to bring immediate comfort to a distraught little girl and felt like I had failed miserably. That day, I realized that we, as educators, have been called to be faithful and obedient to our calling to enrich the world, even if we don’t see immediate rewards, or any rewards at all, for our daily toil. Do you believe that? If so, share your story. Enrich your world.
Doug is an educational leader particularly passionate about the safe, equitable, and highly effective implementation of innovative digitally-enhanced learning environments designed to maximize the degree to which ALL students have the opportunity to meet with success. He thrives on empowering, challenging, and coaching individuals and teams in K-12, Higher Education, and Ed Tech spaces. In addition to his work as Executive Director of Academic Programs and Options at Baltimore County Public Schools, he also serves as an adjunct for both Johns Hopkins University Towson University in Maryland. Learn more about his life's work here! You can email Doug at dougelmendorf@gmail.com.
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