Retiring from what she loves is one Patrick Henry High School teacher’s bittersweet lesson
Experiences she had back in the day as a student helped propel Karen Thomas to a career in teaching.
Thomas is retiring after 34 years of teaching in the classroom. That work included time at both Lewis Middle School and Patrick Henry High School where she taught seventh-grade Seminar World History, AP World History, and AP Art History.
In catching up recently with Thomas, she was on a bus in France with 25 students looking at European art. She relayed that she was tearing up just thinking about the fact her career was winding down.
“Not quite sure what I’ll do without you all,” Thomas said. “You are my memories. You are the world to me.”
Thomas has many fond recollections of the students and other teachers who she crossed paths with over the years.
“I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and moved to California after graduating from college,” Thomas said.
“After a few years working in jobs that were not inspiring, I reflected on Mrs. Harmon, my English Literature teacher. She was clever and fun, and she always opened my mind to new ways of thinking. Most importantly, she believed in me. She changed my life. I wanted to give young people the same experience I had.”
The experiences Thomas had in the classroom over the years were made easier by feeling welcomed by both her peers and students.
According to Thomas, support for teachers, especially those in their first year at a school, is key.
“I remember feeling welcomed, mentored, and like part of a family as a new teacher both by the school itself and the community,” Thomas said.
“Being a new teacher is hard, and the community needs to help teachers gain confidence and find their strengths. It lays the foundation.”
Continue reading article: https://timesofsandiego.com/education/2025/06/10/retiring-from-loves-bittersweet-teacher/
Written by Dave Thomas of the Times of San Diego.