Flashback. Think about what you wanted to be when you were a child: an astronaut? Doctor? Princess?  Though not everyone grows up to attain the “job” of their dreams, most seem to take the path that leads them to ideal—and more realistic—professions.

The same goes for the teachers in this school, as they too may not have grown up dreaming of teaching high-schoolers. So what did they once aspire to be?

“I always knew that the two things I liked the most were numbers and basketball,” said mathematics teacher Mr. Travis Hess. “I thought I had an aptitude for both, and wanted to pursue a career in those fields.  So the logical choice for me was to teach and coach. I am living the dream.”

On the other hand, some teachers pursued occupations entirely opposite of what they had once desired. “I wanted to be involved in journalism and was looking into biology,” said Spanish teacher Ms. Norma Behnke. “But I chose this job instead because I had mastered the Spanish language and it was the most convenient job for my family situation.”

On a similar, yet very different note, U.S. history teacher Mr. David Kuhn wanted to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers, but opted for academics over athletics.

Whether they diverted from or followed directly in the path of their earlier ambitions, most teachers found their passion in their current position. “Most days, I love my job.  On occasion, it drives me crazy—but I get great satisfaction helping earnest, curious-minded young folks learning history,” said Mr. Kuhn.

Dreams may not always come true. Granted, many people realize that their initial choice falls short of suiting their lifestyles in the long run. Physics teacher Ms. Sarah Lakatos once wished to become an astronaut before discovering the hardships of the profession and attending college for astronomy.

“I did go to college for astronomy but I realized much earlier that I was not going to cut it as an astronaut; especially considering I hate roller coasters,” said Ms. Lakatos. “After college I decided to go into teaching because I wanted to teach other people about the subject I found so interesting.”

 World history teacher Ms. Brigitte Lavey also aspired to become a scientist until it was evident that a language barrier could potentially thwart her plans. “With German as my native language, I struggled quite a bit more than expected with the language part of my studies, especially with the math components,” said Ms. Lavey.

Over time, as more and more professional fields are exposed, keep your options open and your mind unset. You could find yourself in a new, intriguing profession, or even teaching the class you are in right now.