Anthony Asay works as a Teacher at Julious Sterling Morton East High School. He went to Morton Community College, after his time at Morton College he went to the Marine Corps and then the University of South Florida to further his education.
Anthony Asay worked here at Morton East High School for 30 years and has loved it ever since he started working here.
- What inspired you to become a teacher? The Teachers and Coaches that I had, starting from Third Grade on. I really admired them and said to myself, “It would be cool to be like them.”
- How long have you been teaching, and what subjects do you specialize in?
30 Years / English
- What do you find most rewarding about being a teacher?
When my students meet with success (both here at JSM and when they move on to the next chapters of their lives), the Teacher-Student relationships that form, when my students are joyful, and when my students graduate!
- What challenges have you faced in your teaching career, and how did you overcome them?
I would say that my one main challenge was adapting to the “Technology Age.” Try to remember that for about two-thirds of my career, I was still using chalk and a chalk board! The biggest hurdle was learning not to fear it and to do my best to continue to learn.
- Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had with a student?
I’ve had some students come back and work in our school district. Some even in our building, working alongside me. When this happens, it always takes me back to when they were students, and now how they’ve grown into wonderful adults! Off hand, I can say that I have 5 former students who have come to give back to their Alma mater, and I’m so proud of them!
- How do you stay motivated and passionate about teaching?
I’m truly blessed to be able to do what I want to do for my life’s work, and to be able to do it exactly where I want is just a double blessing! I’ve truly been spoiled, and I’m very humbled by this!! I’m a very proud Ciceronian and love our Morton Kids – after all, I’m one of them (just a little older Morton Kid). I suppose that is where my everyday motivation comes from.
- What advice would you give to someone considering a career in education?
Ours is a very noble profession. Along with educating our nation’s youth, we also create memories for them. My advice is to” give” of yourself to the kids. Leave works every day knowing you gave them all you had to give. You should leave school every day, knowing and feeling like you put a full day’s work in.
- How do you adapt your teaching methods to meet the needs of different students?
Along with students’ different preferred learning styles (visual learners, auditory, kinesthetic, and so forth), each student has their own unique personality that is important for the teacher to tune into and know how to work with.
- What changes have you seen in the education system during your career?
I would say that the biggest changes I’ve seen have been for students the migration from pencil/pen and paper to the use of technology and for Teachers the migration from chalkboards to Smart Boards, and of course the use of technology also.
- What are your goals for the future in your teaching career?
My goals are to continually get better and improve at my job, so that I can serve my students well. I believe that a teacher is either getting better or getting worse, I don’t believe that you just stay the same. Also, I would like to teach till’ the age of 67. Finally, I would like to do all of this here at Morton East, a place that I consider home.
