Feb 2018: Teacher Feature | A Love-able Curmudgeon

People who have not had Mr. Greg Marciel as a teacher have probably heard of him or his class. After all, he’s been at Armijo since 1995, but he started teaching in 1992. Nearly 30 years ago, in 1989, he decided to go back to school to get a degree and become an English teacher. He chose to teach after deciding he didn’t just want to work in his “dead end” construction job forever. He wanted to further his working life by going into something more enjoyable.

Once Mr. Marciel made it known to his friends and family that he wanted to be a teacher, he didn’t receive much criticism. His wife was already a teacher and she thought it was cool that he was going to do it, too.

To him, working with kids and being able to mold young minds has always been rewarding. He enjoys knowing that he has helped students in their lives outside of school as well. He’s had students come back to visit him after being in college and telling him that how he taught them to write has helped them out greatly later on in life.

Even though teaching has been his longest and best job there are things about it he doesn’t likes so much anymore. He thinks that some students are bad and has seen changes in attitudes and work ethics over the last two decades. He also thinks that some students spend too much time looking at their phones and don’t pay much attention. Still, he does enjoy his job overall and thinks it’s fun.