Profile Story

Lawless always knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I originally thought I wanted to teach elementary school,” she said. “I guess it's hard to envision yourself teaching high school when you've just finished high school yourself!” This sense of direction, although very strong, was met with stress and anxiety regarding the unknown; two things that constantly plague the mind of many young individuals. “I used to stress about the unknown.” she said. “I always knew I was open to leaving Michigan but had no idea where I would end up.” This was the case for Lawless; she thought she’d end up somewhere out west. Never in a million years did she envision herself living and teaching, on the East Coast. 

 

She also revealed other stressors surrounding the profession of teaching. “It wasn't helpful that when I was in college, it was almost impossible to get a teaching job.” Despite this, she became a successful educator who has positively changed the status quo surrounding Language Arts for many students. However, from her responses it is clear that teaching is not always a straight path of wins, and there are certain things that you must overcome to achieve greater success. This is something that Lawless learned over time. “I struggled a lot my first year of teaching” she said. “I have a hard time not being the best right away and accepting constructive criticism. I found that I wasn't as open to suggestions for improvement in my career as I should have been.” Now, she has developed her own method to successfully navigate the art of educating. “I've found it's a mix of help from others and staying true to your own style that makes teaching work.” 

 

While embracing help from others and staying authentic are both essential to successful teaching, COVID-19 pushed Lawless to add another aspect to the list. She found that relishing the quality relationships that formed between her and her students has made teaching during a global pandemic “worthwhile”. “I actually loved teaching virtually and found that I was able to connect with kids I had never met in real life.” However, this doesn’t mean there have not been hardships. 

 

“To be honest...it has sucked,” she said. The sudden shut-down of life as we knew it combined with isolation from the outside world resulted in extreme stress. “The anxiety moving into last school year far outweighed the actuality of our day-to-day life.” Many teachers feel that there is pressure to perform at a certain caliber every single day, regardless of the constant curveballs that are thrown at them. This has presumably been the case for Lawless during the pandemic and many other teachers as well; often resulting in fatigue and an unfortunate lack of connection between some students. “We have no subs in the building,” she said. “Kids have no attention span due to the virtual nature of the last school year. I am straight up exhausted at the end of the day.” 

 

Taking on such demanding tasks and being given the responsibility to guide hundreds of students towards success is no easy task and requires that one take time for themselves to relax and “smell the roses.” Lawless has multiple outlets that she chooses to help her achieve this level of Zen. “I love working on my house or taking my pup for a walk!” (Her Instagram stories are proof that she is incredibly skilled in the landscaping department). She also is a devout fan of tv medical dramas and enjoys spending time watching the hit NBC series “Chicago Med”. Lawless also practices acts of selflessness in her everyday life, which speaks to her character. She makes it a point to do something for not only herself but her family every day. 

 

When asked what brings her joy, she responded by saying “my friends and family bring me joy.” “While a lot of those people who make up my friends have been different over the years, it's always been other people who make me happy.” She has always had a love for other people, and positively interacting with people in turn brings her happiness. This is one of the many reasons Lawless is great at what she does, she appreciates human connection, and she has a deep knowledge and appreciation for her craft.