Maine teachers share why they #LoveTeaching as part of a national campaign to promote educator voices

AUGUSTA —The Maine Department of Education partnered with News Center Maine to highlight the voices of teachers and school staff sharing why they #LoveTeaching during a weeklong national campaign.

#LoveTeaching week is a national campaign started by educators in 2015 and takes place every year around Valentine’s Day. All week, News Center Maine featured videos from Maine’s 2023 County Teachers of the Year and other educators sharing their joy and love of teaching.

Here’s what some teachers shared in their video messages about why they #LoveTeaching:

“I love to teach because every single day I get to make good memories for kids. It’s a great day when kids leave my class and can be overheard saying, ‘this is the best day of my life.’ In my class, that’s where the magic happens,” said Dawn McLaughlin, physical education teacher at Milo Elementary and Brownville Elementary and 2023 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year.

“I enjoy building rapport with my students. When I see smiles on the faces of students in the classroom and in the halls, on stage, or on the competition fields, I know I’ve made a difference. There are few professions where you get to help our future take steps towards attaining their goals and aspirations. That’s why I love teaching,” said Rob Messier, math teacher at Mt. Ararat High School and 2023 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year.

“My favorite thing about being a teacher is that learning occurs beyond the four walls of the classroom and it’s boots on the beach to collect authentic data that connects learning to our community. I also love that my students, colleagues, and community partners are like family, and I find them truly inspired,” said Colleen Maker, biology and marine biology teacher at Washington Academy and 2023 Washington County Teacher of the Year.

“I love teaching because the future of the world is literally in my classroom today. I get to see the amazing working minds of my students in action every single day. They come up with new ideas and creative and wonderful views on the world that they see around them, and it just fills my heart with so much hope for a beautiful and amazing future,” said Lisa Tripp, science teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School and 2023 York County Teacher of the Year.

“I love teaching in Maine schools because I get to teach the next generation of Maine educators,” said Meghan Stubbs, Hancock County Technical Center’s early childhood education instructor and Maine’s 2023 Milken Educator. The video messages aired on News Center Maine all week and can be found here at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKtbYaDEyIB_W16s0jgYOF7N0GHjHNMfC.

Educators can participate in the campaign by posting their videos to social media and using the hashtags #LoveTeaching and #LoveSchoolStaff.