Have you ever ever wondered what a teacher does when they go home? Do they even go home? Several teachers have outside hobbies including reading, biking, singing, bowling and so much more, but have you ever heard of them having another job? Or a cool job? Teachers Mackenzie Fuller, an exercise teacher; Brian Mowery, a former teacher in China; and Madeline Plankers, a chefs assistant, shared what they do outside of teaching.

“I get paid to do something I love, kinda the same thing with teaching I get paid to do something.” Fuller said, “I love teaching fitness classes. I love to work out. I love burpees. I know I’m crazy.”

Imagine loving burpees… can’t relate…

For Mowery, it wasn’t to do something he loved, it was to get out of a place he felt trapped in. “Just a sense of adventure. I wanted to live elsewhere. That was the easiest way for me.”

Sometimes it’s not just about the adventure, sometimes the extra pay is good too.

Plankers shared that her passion helped bring in a little more income. “It’s not far from where I live, I have always enjoyed cooking as a passion.” She said, “So for me, it was a fun way to kind of pursue a hobby, while also earning some extra money.”

For kids, they work to make money, but they also work to get a sense of what it’s going to be like when they graduate. The 3 teachers shared how working outside of school has helped them grow as a teacher.

Mowery said, “The student has a public face they put forward that obscures who they are and what they remember, in America, it’s not as thick or as harsh of a mask. You don’t hide as much as my Chinese students do. But everybody does it. Everybody has it.”

When people hide behind a mask, they don’t tend to reach full potential, when they could be finding what they love to do. 

Plankers commented on that subject, ”I just think when you are a young adult and are just starting your first big kid job before you have a lot of other commitments, I would suggest for people to find a hobby or passion in addition. I have other hobbies and interests.” 

You should always find something you love that is challenging and rewarding too.

Fuller said, “One thing I always say when I teach workout classes is ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.’ And I feel like that applies a lot to school [If you are not] challenged you’re not gonna learn anything new.”