Ms. Judy Craig

“Coming out of [teaching at] North Chicago, I’ve had a lot of experiences. Students will ask me, ‘Oh, how could you teach at North Chicago?’ I say, ‘No, they’re students too. They’re just like you. Now they may have more responsibilities. They may work forty hour jobs. I know that’s illegal, but they have to do it.’ That’s where I learned to respect students. When I tell kids I taught at North Chicago, it gives me some street cred. I was taught at North Chicago by my old students that if I respect the students, I will develop a reputation, and I will get the respect back. When and if I get the feeling that I’m coming here because it’s a job and I don’t want to see these kids again, then I will not be here. There’s a purpose to being here.”