Lessons I learned while teaching high school
I will make a (very) long story short and report that I have spent the last three years teaching journalism and literature part-time at a nearby high school. This month, I’ll be stopping to focus on beginning my second decade with Resch Strategies. While one might naturally assume teaching would give me made-for-TV experiences about the power of hope, à la Dead Poet’s Society, I gained far more.
Here are my big takeaways:
If you missed Stephanie in Mean Girls, here you go.
When these kids hit the workforce, we won’t be able to understand a thing they say. “Skibidi toilet rizz” is a verbal puzzle I’ve been trying to solve for several days now. Bruh, it just hits different. No cap.
People who teach full-time are saints. No cap on this one, either—these people high-key slay. As an entirely human endeavor, education requires teachers to serve as artists, scientists, champion negotiators, counselors and (sometimes) attorneys—all this, while wearing a warm smile. It’s been a professional challenge, and I’ve loved that.
High school will always be high school. The drama is real, my friends.
Many of the lessons I’ve learned while teaching will also return with me for the benefit of our clients. Here are just a few:
PR practitioners must get ahead of the curve when presenting content. Reading is becoming a lost art. Seriously—many of today’s students consume assigned literature using audiobooks on YouTube (n.b., this change will have massive social consequences 25 years from now—I’m calling it). Still, as communicators, we can get ahead by finding fresh ways to convey complex ideas to people of varying backgrounds, abilities and norms.
Trust matters most. It is the cornerstone of building strong learning relationships, just as it is in PR. Once a student’s trust is lost, learning all but stops. This happens to brands, too, and it takes a lot of purposeful, daily communication and feedback to keep those trust levels high.
Crisis? You don’t know crisis. Watch a student melt down, defy everyone, or have a medical emergency. Crises are immediate, perplexing, and sometimes panic-inducing. Knowing how to respond calmly and effectively matters—and this skill will help you understand how to build trust (see above).
Everyone learns differently. Content is delivered best when it’s targeted to the listener's needs. PR works the same way. Whether crafting messages that appeal to different demographics or utilizing multiple communication channels, the adaptability learned from teaching is a significant asset in PR.
Good planning is essential, and it occurs on multiple levels. From the macro level, where a course’s entire scope and sequence are determined, to the micro activities that will occur every single day in class, it takes a lot of organization to teach effectively. Effective PR campaigns operate in the same way.
Evaluation and adjustment are needed to ensure that the content hits home. Skills such as analyzing data, gathering feedback, and being willing to pivot based on results are valuable skills in the classroom and in PR campaigns.
Effective practitioners inspire and motivate others. Whether through storytelling, impactful content, or persuasive campaigns, the ability to inspire action is a powerful skill shared by teachers and PR practitioners.
I’m glad I taught school. It’s increased my professional growth exponentially. When I leave the classroom, I hope to be a better strategist, consultant, and colleague because of this experience.
Yeah, low-key flex. But I swear it’s finna be lit. On periodt.