Question: What was your reaction to being named Teacher of the Month?

Burgess: I was very surprised. We have a staff of wonderful teachers at this school, and it was an honor to be chosen as Teacher of the Month, since I know we all work very hard at everything we do.

Question: What made you want to be a teacher in the first place?

Burgess: I love education. There is something very special about dedicating yourself to both learning and teaching. I believe education is essential for everybody, and to be able to teach such a wonderful group of students makes this job well worth it.

Question: What do you enjoy most about teaching?

Burgess:I love interacting with both the faculty and the students. I also love watching students grasp concepts that they struggle with learning. I especially love it when my past students visit me to tell me how much my class has helped them with their current endeavors. I feel like I am making a difference, which is a great feeling.

Question: What is the most challenging thing about being a teacher?

Burgess: There is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into being a good teacher, including lesson creation, grading, sponsoring my awesome teams, touching base with both students and parents, and also supporting the students in their extracurricular activities. While it is a balancing act of accomplishing all of the aforementioned and giving the attention needed to my wonderful family, it is well worth the sense of accomplishment that comes with learning even more about the subjects I teach and the students at Center Hill High School.

Question: How has teaching changed your life?

Burgess: Teaching has given me a new perspective on different cultures and opinions. I learn new things every day thanks to my wonderful students. We all come from different backgrounds, and everyone has so much to contribute to the learning environment. These students have changed the way I view the world. They make me laugh, are truly concerned about my culture and life stories, and are such a caring group. While I love making a difference in their lives, they have definitely made a huge difference in mine, for which I am eternally grateful.

Question: If you were not a teacher, what do you think you would be doing?

Burgess: After teaching at the college level during my graduate work, I moved into the business world. If I were not a teacher, I imagine I would still be analyzing data and coordinating operations for businesses and corporations. I am blessed to have been able to make the move into education, where I feel like I am making a much bigger difference than I was in the world of business.

Question: What is it like being involved in both NHS and Knowledge Bowl this year?

Burgess: It has truly been an amazing experience. The kids are so smart and success-driven. I am so incredibly proud of both teams. They are hard-working, self-motivated, and make my job very easy. It has been a pleasure working with such amazing students who work relentlessly towards a common goal. What has been even more impressive is their ability to work together, delegate, and complete the job done at the highest of standards. I can’t say enough how wonderful they are, and how hard they work.

Question: What are you most looking forward to in NHS this year?

Burgess: I am looking forward to working on service projects with this wonderful group. There are many projects in the works that will help our community and provide service for organizations in need. It is always heartwarming to see such a great group of students work so hard to help the community and put a smile on people’s faces.

Question: In Knowledge Bowl?

Burgess: We go for filming on Monday, October 19, and I am so exciting to see this eager group of students perform and show Memphis how truly smart they are, and how hard they work as a team. I am blessed to have them want to be a part of the knowledge bowl team, and work as hard as they have to prepare for the competition.

Question: Freshman Class?

Burgess: The freshman class this year has been an amazing group of students who have worked hard to create a unified class that has worked towards building a community in which every freshman feels welcome. They worked tirelessly to make their dreams of a homecoming float a reality, and they went above and beyond to create an amazing float. The officers are great team-players, and have created a united class that works hard at everything that needs completing. There are many great things to come for the class of 2019!