Feature

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

WHY I TEACH AT CATHOLIC SCHOOL

By PHUONG PHAM, BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL IN WESTMINSTER     1/25/2024

I’ve been a proud member of the Blessed Sacrament School community for over a decade. As an educator, I have taught Early Childhood and third grade and am currently teaching fourth grade. I cannot express enough how much I love working here.

PHUONG PHAM ADDRESSES HER FOURTH GRADE CLASS. PHOTO BY RENNE ENRIQUEZ/DIOCESE OF ORANGE

For 75 years, Blessed Sacrament School has been a strong pillar of the community, and I’ve been fortunate enough to witness its growth and transformation during my time here. The campus remains as beautiful and resilient as ever.

Education and teaching have always been strong passions of mine. Although I had no prior experience attending or teaching at a Catholic school, I believe it was God’s grace that brought me into this wonderful field of Catholic education and being able to teach at Blessed Sacrament School. As a Catholic school teacher, I immediately recognized the ability to focus on each child holistically and help them grow and succeed in their own unique areas.

Teaching in a Catholic school has allowed me to be the kind of teacher I have always wanted to be, giving my students the space to shine and become strong spiritual and academic learners.

Additionally, working in Catholic education has helped me to grow closer to my faith and become more aware of God’s presence in everything I do. It’s been an incredible opportunity to teach and be a part of a faith-filled community while guiding, supporting and praying with my students on their faith and academic journey.

As an educator, I aim to meet academic standards and objectives while striving to nurture the whole child. It is a privilege to impart values and principles that students can carry throughout their lives. Our school’s motto is “Act Justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8),” which I integrate into my lessons daily. Witnessing and modeling these virtues across all subjects brings me immense joy. In Catholic education, I am grateful for the opportunity to teach students about God’s love and goodness, pray with them and impart Catholic values. I find inspiration in the saints and our ultimate teacher, Jesus Christ. I see Christ in each of my students and hope that they will carry out His mission to bring light and love into the world. My goal is to prepare them to face the world’s challenges, fears, anxieties and struggles with the strength and courage that comes from Christ.

The tight-knit community within our school is like family. Witnessing students and their families at school events and Mass is always a joy. Both faculty and staff receive unwavering support from parents and vice versa. This connection, rooted in spirituality, physicality and emotionality, is truly wonderful.

As a teacher, I’ve been privileged to watch my students grow from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Some have even been in my class multiple times as they progressed through the grades.

When graduation day arrives, I am always filled with pride for the amazing young adults my students have become, and I’m ecstatic to see them embark on their next adventure, knowing they have strong roots. For this reason, it is always an emotional time to see them leave after years of watching them grow.

Although they may have left the school, they will always be considered Spartans in my eyes. It’s bittersweet!

I feel incredibly fortunate to be a Catholic school educator and have the support of my colleagues and fellow school community members. Working alongside such faithful and dedicated educators who inspire me daily is truly a privilege. Being part of a team like this has been an amazing experience. I’m incredibly grateful that God has put me here.