Many high school students feel unsure about their future, especially regarding career choices. But for Mrs. Leblanc, an English teacher at Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, it all became clear in one class. “My AP English teacher inspired me to choose this job,” she says.
That moment stayed with her. Years later, she works to give her students the same feeling. But becoming a teacher didn’t go exactly as she expected. “What you learn in school and then what happens in the classroom are completely different,” she said. “A lot of what you do in the school is like, ‘This is the theory,’ and then all of a sudden they hand you a classroom and they’re like, ‘Good luck.’ And you just figure it out. It gets easier as you go.”
She got her first full-time teaching job at Bishop Manogue. But it wasn’t her first choice at first. “I had applied to WCSD, and I was doing the group interview. And I hated the format. I felt like we were treated like cattle. And I was like, this is not the vibe that I want. So, I saw that Manogue had an opening, so I applied and got an interview. And they treated me like I was a human being. I walked out of the interview like, ‘I want this job.’”
She’s been a part of the Manogue team ever since.
When asked what she loves most about being a teacher, she doesn’t hesitate. “The kids,” she said. “I don’t think that people always realize how good they have it here. Even on your worst days, you guys are not the kids lighting things on fire. No one’s getting stabbed. No drug deals are happening. You guys are good kids.”
Still, teaching hasn’t always been easy. Classroom management was a big challenge for Mrs. Leblanc at first. “I was only four years older than my students. I had to convince myself that I was in charge,” she said. “Like I had to convince myself I was the adult in the room.”
Now, years later, she’s found her rhythm. And the students continue to make it worth it all. When asked if she has had any students who have left a meaningful impact on her, she becomes
emotional. “Too many to count. So when people like Nico, who we lost too soon, it hits me hard because every single one of those students, all of you guys, are precious to me. Even the ones who drive me nuts are so meaningful to me and make me value my job. Every student becomes part of your life.”
One of the biggest changes she’s seen over the years is how students learn. “Everything is so different now,” she said. “Before, classroom planning meant making copies. Now the tech makes things easier in some ways. But attention spans are shorter. There are too many different distractions. Too many phones, iPads, etc. There’s so much apathy.”
Even with the struggles, Mrs. Leblanc stays committed to her students. But she gives future teachers honest advice. “You have to really want it. Like really, really want to do it,” she said. “As a teacher myself, I absolutely love my job, I also know that every teaching job is liek this one. So if you are on the fence about teaching, don’t do it- you have to really want to pursue it.”
When asked if she could choose one book for a student to read before they graduate, she gave better advice instead. “Honestly, there were books that I read as a high schooler that, like, didn’t resonate, and then I reread them in college, and they did hit somewhere. So it’s hard because you havent had the life experience yet. But, I think my recommendation is that there is not one book to read, but not to give up on reading. It doesn’t matter if you’re 20 and you’re reading The Hunger Games. Read. Don’t stop reading.”
To her students, Mrs. Leblanc is more than just a teacher. She is a mentor who cares, pushes them to try, and always keeps it real. In a world full of distractions. She shows up every day, reminding them that hard work and a good book still matter.
