I have worn a lot of different hats since Bethany and I moved to Southern Boone County in 1999. I’ve been a meat cutter, a groundskeeper, a car salesman, a retail store manager, a stay-at-home parent, and for the last ten years, I’ve been a columnist for the Boone County Journal. I was the “Voice of the Eagles” for several years, working as the public address announcer at home football games, a few track meets, and a softball game or two. And I have united over twenty couples in the bonds of matrimony since I became an ordained minister in 2010. But there’s one hat in particular, one that I’ve proudly worn for the last nine years, that most people around here associate with Travis Naughton; the hat of a substitute teacher.
Today, my friends, I am officially hanging up my teacher hat.
The decision to walk away from teaching is not one that I made suddenly. I have been contemplating my “retirement” from the profession of education for some time now. In fact, I’ve considered it for three years.
Prior to the beginning of the 2020-2021 academic year, I thought about stepping away from subbing because of the pandemic. I was apprehensive about being indoors with hundreds of students and teachers who could potentially expose me (and my family) to the coronavirus. Knowing that there was a chance I could bring the virus home to my kids or my grandbaby (who was due last October), terrified me. Nevertheless, I knew that my friends and coworkers at the Primary School were depending on me to cover two long-term maternity leaves and other unexpected absences caused by Covid-related quarantines. With a severe substitute teacher shortage made even worse by the pandemic, my school family needed me and I didn’t want to let them down.
Before the 2019-2020 school year began, I spent most of the summer trying to decide if I wanted to continue subbing or look for some other type of work—something that paid a little better. By August, I was pretty sure I wanted to try something new, and then my phone rang. It was Primary School principal Brandy Clark, my dear friend, calling to offer me the opportunity of a lifetime. Just two weeks before the school year was set to begin, the music teacher position had opened up unexpectedly. I accepted the offer to teach on a temporary, emergency certificate for one year only, and it turned out to be the most challenging and rewarding job I have ever had.
I was mindlessly looking through random job postings during the summer before the 2018-2019 school year, when I stumbled upon an exciting job that I was an ideal candidate for; an assistant to the director of Marching Mizzou, at my alma mater, the University of Missouri. My experience as an accomplished musician in high school both as a trombone player and a drum major, my status as an alumnus of Mizzou’s jazz band, my professional management experience, and my years of teaching experience made me perfectly suited for the job. I polished up my resume and submitted my application with nervous anticipation. A full-time, benefit-eligible job within a respected music program at a top university was the most exciting job prospect of my life—and I had help on the inside; two friends who were also close friends of the director. Despite everything seemingly being in my favor, I never heard a word from anyone at Mizzou.
Don’t get me wrong, despite my attempts to move on, I have always loved substitute teaching. I adore the kids, and I consider my coworkers to be some of my very best friends. The fact is that I tend to give everything to those things that I love, which sometimes causes me to get burned out. Ask 100 teachers about burnout, and 100 will tell you that burnout is a serious issue within the profession. Even for substitutes. But burnout is not necessarily why I am “retiring” from teaching now.
This fall, I will be wearing the hat of a full-time, stay-at-home grandparent. Baby Freya’s mom and dad will both be attending college full-time and working part-time, which will create the opportunity for me to spend my days with my beautiful granddaughter. Of all the hats I’ve worn over the years, I think this one fits me the best.
I would like to thank my coworkers and administrators who have supported me during my time as an educator. I appreciate you for every kindness you have shown me, and I love you and will miss you more than I can say.
To my students, I love you and will miss you, too, and I hope you will look back fondly on our time together, just as I do. I wish you all the best in the coming school year and in all the years thereafter. I’m sure we’ll see each other around town now and again, and please stop me and say hello if I don’t see you first. I’ll be easy to spot; just look for the guy who likes wearing lots of different hats.
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