Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Campbell

I decided to do a spotlight on Mrs. Campbell because even though I never had her as a teacher, she has been my teacher sponsor for my club for three years now. She has always been an extremely helpful and kind teacher throughout all of the years I have known her. Despite her busy schedule, she always manages to make time for Parable club and always provides her support which is something I am incredibly grateful for. I wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about her experiences as a teacher and outside of the classroom so I asked her questions to help us understand more about Mrs. Campbell.

Q: What did you do before becoming a teacher?

A: “I was a substitute teacher, a private voice and piano teacher at a studio where I went to people’s homes, then I also worked at a coffee shop, and Banana Republic.”

Q: Can you describe what it is like being a teacher of many classes like Showtime, Mariners, Theatre, Combo, and Polyphonix?

A: “It is a lot because you have to prep for a bunch of different classes and the curriculum isn’t the same for all of them. All the materials are different and they change every quarter so it is a lot to prepare for but it is fun. Every single class you get a different set of kids and a different set of things to teach so it’s always fresh and new every time you do it. 

Q: What was your experience like on tour this year?

A: “That was a super fun and crazy tour because so many things logistically were going wrong; but we were able to fix them. It went very well but there were a lot of stressors there. Besides that, the tour itself was a really great time. We had a lot of fun experiences and good performances. We were also in the parks a lot of the time so it was just a really good fun time for everyone. 

Q: How did you enjoy the most recent competition at Los Alamitos?

A: “What I enjoy most above all things is seeing what kind of performers my kids are on that stage. I don’t know what it is about competition, maybe because the stakes are really high so it makes that performance always unlike any of the other performances that we do. They really just push themselves to the max. I love seeing them support each other and watch other groups to see what they can learn from them. Specifically this year, it was extra special because we did take home first and second place and had a full clean sweep.”

Q: What has been a memorable experience here at Mayfair?

A: “There are so many but probably this year the students surprised me at a concert with a song that they had prepared all on their own to congratulate me on my pregnancy. They were able to keep it a secret and then performed it for me at the end of our concert so that was very special to me.”

Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of the classroom?

A: “I love to travel, eat, and try new things like classes and experiences. I also love finding a new spot and seeing new movies as well.”

Q: What do you appreciate most about being a teacher at this school?

A: “The students. I really love my kids and the different personalities I get to teach. Even if it’s with students I get along with easily or the ones I have to work really hard for, they’re all unique and they make the job so much fun and memorable every year.”

Q: Lastly, what is a goal you have going into this next school year?

A: “Survive. I will be a new time mom as well as trying to run this program. I am still learning new things about this program every single day so just keeping up with the traditions, the goals, the culture of this group and allowing it to continue growing while also taking care of myself, my family, and my baby for the first time in my life.”

Thank you Mrs. Campbell for making time to do this interview despite all of the tasks you have during the day. I personally enjoyed taking the time to get to know her better. She has had a very positive impact on me and other students and I am extremely grateful for her services as a teacher and what she does for her students.