Revealing The Passion of Our Teachers
- adethlefs
- Apr 22
- 6 min read
By Ximena Garcia, Class of 2027
Every aspect of Providence Cristo Rey is designed to help students reach their full potential. We often hear about the success stories of the Corporate Work Study Program, which enables students to grow professionally, and the devoted implementation of the values of Love, Mercy, and Justice, which drive students to grow spiritually. Nonetheless, there's an overlooked element that is a significant contributor to student development: the teachers of Providence Cristo Rey.
The impact of teachers goes beyond just teaching a curriculum to students. They are responsible for preparing students to face society. While the profession of an educator comes with challenges, teachers continue to dedicate their lives to students. An extraordinary characteristic of PCR teachers is that they take on their role with passion. They carefully craft each lesson, paying a tremendous amount of thought to the ideas they convey to students. To celebrate the efforts of PCR teachers, it's essential to understand the reason for their passion and the countless ways it is illustrated.
In the math hallway, Mr. Derouin teaches Algebra II. Although this is his first year teaching at PCR, he has five years of teaching experience overall. He describes teaching as an important part of his identity as it has contributed greatly to his personal growth. His journey to becoming an educator began while studying architecture at the University of Notre Dame. Mr. Derouin sought to broaden his thinking and initiate positive outcomes for students, leading him to participate in Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education program, which influenced his decision to become a teacher.
“I knew I wanted to spend time with kids to help them become what they were called to. ACE was a good way to do that,” he says.
Mr. Derouin shares that his passion for teaching stems from his commitment to empowering students to become the adults they aspire to be. He strives to ensure students feel confident in their abilities and gain trust that their hard work will pay off. Additionally, he seeks to incorporate the value of mathematics into students' lives. He continuously works with students to see how math fits in their future. But in the end, even if they aren’t able to recall every single formula in Algebra II, as long as he has moved them to become better problem solvers and learners, teaching becomes worth it.
“The most powerful thing is that teachers give kids the tools they need for life. It’s liberating, we are powering dreams through education,” he shares.
He admits that sometimes the feeling of needing to stay on top of everything is demanding. Being held accountable for the academic success of seventy students, as well as creating tests and preparing lesson plans can become demanding. Nevertheless, witnessing student triumphs allows him to overcome this hardship. This success is not just limited to inside the classroom, but outside as well. Whether that be coaching volleyball and noticing improvement, or as a student council advisor and seeing an event go well, those details motivate him to keep going.
Mr. Derouin emphasizes how thankful he is to work in a place like Providence Cristo Rey, an environment that allows him to collaborate with exceptional teachers and leaders who work towards providing a powerful education.
Likewise, Providence Cristo Rey’s beloved Spanish teacher, Mrs. Alfaro, has a fidelity to teaching. She has taught for 24 years, including 16 years in Costa Rica. For her, becoming a teacher was unexpected. Throughout her early life, she never expressed the wanting of pursuing a career as an educator. During a career fair, she unintentionally picked up a brochure that detailed the job of a teacher, which lured her interest. With some persuasion from her mother (who is also a teacher), she soon began to envision herself as a teacher.
“Throughout the years, teaching has warmed my heart,” Mrs. Alfaro says, sharing how her passion for teaching came naturally with time.
“I like helping my students learn and watching them grow. Even if my impact is just a tiny grain of sand in their life, it is still very meaningful.”
Mrs. Alfaro wants to not only be an educator to her students, but a source of their happiness. She prioritizes each student's mental state, assuring academic and personal success. She mentions that it is crucial for a teacher to know their students personally and understand each of their situations. She acknowledges the mental toll this takes on her. Yet, continuing to develop her wisdom in regards to teaching, (for example, by reading a book, listening to podcasts, and conversing with her coworkers), enables her to maintain her passion. Additionally, Ms. Alfaro shares that the small details that occur in the classroom constantly remind her why she teaches.
“A [student] once said to me, ‘Eso no es pura vida.’ Although it was silly, it showed me that I helped him understand the phrase. I made an impact on him. Also, in my class, each student uses a notebook. They weren’t comfortable with using them at first since in other classes they do their work digitally. The notebooks were messy and empty, but as the year went on, students got better at using them…Even if it is just learning a new word or learning to use a notebook, seeing a student actively learn makes me think, ‘I did it! That’s why I teach!’” she smiles.
Without hesitation, Mrs. Alfaro is certain she will always work in the education field. She shares that she’s been working towards coaching other teachers by forming conferences and workshops. No matter what life throws her way, being a teacher will always follow.
“But teaching is something I am dedicated to, that’s me La Profe Cata!” she beams.
On the science floor, Mrs. Heinrichs teaches biology with an insightful approach. With a degree in horticulture, she is an expert when it comes to plants. Mrs. Heinrichs reflects that throughout her time in college, her professors were well aware she was meant to be a teacher. They would commonly partner her with peers who needed extra assistance due to her skill at pushing others to learn and participate during class. When graduation was near, she realized that her calling was teaching. Before coming to PCR, she taught swimming lessons alongside water safety.
Mrs. Heinrichs describes PCR students as “empathetics.” They have the strength of recognizing the real factors that align with biology, rather than just memorizing information from a textbook. Their abilities fuel her passion for teaching.
“…we had a good discussion about genetics,” Mrs. Heinrichs begins as she recalls one of her favorite memories from this year. The class was learning about an insomnia disorder. This disorder is a dominant trait, meaning it has a high chance of being inherited. It prevents the brain from falling asleep, which results in death from lack of sleep.
“They were like, ‘That’s kind of wild. What are the solutions? Since we don’t have solutions, how do we find some?’ They talked about real-life ethical things…they are thinking at very high levels,” Mrs. Heinrichs says.
She admires the conversations students are able to have in the classroom based on their curiosity and world views. She shares her goal of uplifting students to maintain this mindset. This way, she hopes to help them formulate their own opinions while also encouraging them to strive for change. She is committed to passing down the knowledge she has accumulated over the years to influence students. This includes not being afraid to address misconceptions.
“Being a teacher to me means sharing and passing on my knowledge to better the next generation. I want to help grow a more empathetic yet efficient world. I am at a liberty that my walk of life has given me many perspectives that play into the content I teach.I also treasure my Evolution unit, in which I spend a lot of time breaking racial barriers with science and historical timing. Removing falsehoods and teaching the true human means a lot to me in our current global social climate,” she states.
Mrs. Heinrichs intends to keep teaching. Even if it's not biology or at a high school, she desires to continue fostering the importance of education.
“Education is power, and I want to instill that power into our society wherever I can!” she says.
Mr. Derouin, Mrs. Alfaro, and Mrs. Heinrichs are examples of the numerous teachers in Providence Cristo Rey who approach teaching with passion, aiming to spark a light in the lives of students. As we praise the positive influence Providence Cristo Rey brings to its students, crediting teachers, the heartbeat of our school, is vital. Without a doubt, our educators will continue shaping the lives of PCR students, guiding them to reach their full potential one lesson at a time.
The PCRHS Storytellers Club is a student-led team that captures and shares the stories of our school through journalism, photography, design, and social media, showcasing the voices and achievements of our community.
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