{"id":65481,"date":"2018-11-01T11:31:05","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T18:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizona.teachersoftomorrow.org\/?p=65481"},"modified":"2023-10-15T12:06:29","modified_gmt":"2023-10-15T19:06:29","slug":"should-i-become-an-arizona-teacher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/arizona\/teacher-resources\/teaching-in-arizona-blog\/should-i-become-an-arizona-teacher\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I teach in Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"

Should I teacher in Arizona? It is a great question and we have a lot of national education experts and teachers explain why it is a great time to teach at our\u00a0Teachers of Tomorrow<\/a>\u00a0blog. But you want to teach in Arizona and we know that our teachers of the year have the best answers on why teaching is great.<\/p>\n

Kareem Neal,<\/strong>\u00a0a self-contained special education teacher at Maryvale High School in the\u00a0Phoenix Union High School District<\/a>, is the 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year. The\u00a0Arizona Educational Foundation<\/a>\u00a0named Neal at its annual awards luncheon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no job like teaching,\u201d he said during his acceptance speech. \u201cThis is my 22nd year, and I feel like I have another 22 years in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Students would rather be here than not here!”<\/p>\n

Kareem Neal was a chemical engineering major at Seton Hall University in New Jersey\u00a0when he stumbled into the event that would completely\u00a0alter his career path.<\/p>\n

It was the Special Olympics, and the students there thought he was “cool” because he was “really tall,” towering over them at 6-foot-7.<\/p>\n

“I was like, these students are the best people ever.\u00a0 I believe\u00a0developing meaningful relationships is critical to student success, and encourages a lifelong love of learning. Building relationships is the key to eliminating bias and moving forward in growth,\u201d said Neal.<\/p>\n