Is it possible for everyone to know what you’re going to do with your future, except for you?

For history teacher, David Arrington, that was exactly the case.  It took a few years, and a 2nd grade teacher’s aid job, for him to find the career everyone else knew he was going to pursue.

Growing up with a family of teachers, Arrington did not consider teaching as a major.  He was warned to not be a teacher: told that it’d be difficult financially, and he’d be stressed for the majority of the time.  He continued to view teaching as just that, “I grew up with the mindset that that’s never going to happen.”

However, a few people continued to remind Arrington that he’s, “going to be a teacher”, keeping the thought in the back of his mind.  Despite what he was told, Arrington dismissed this possibility, “I guess you could say I was in denial.”

Going into college, Arrington experienced changes in his interests in the medical field, from pre-med to physical therapy.  Pre-med led him to working in a hospital, but found that it wasn’t for him.  Arrington then dove into the interesting profession of physical therapy.  He had an exciting plan to make physical therapy his major, and later on, his occupation.  While struggling with finding where his passion lies, Arrington loved learning about history the entire time.

In a way, teaching found Arrington before he found teaching.  When offered a job opportunity to go alongside his general classes, Arrington accepted without hesitation.  His elementary school principal asked him to be a teacher’s aid with his 2nd grade special needs class.  Little did Arrington know, that that was the start of many more years in the teaching field.

It didn’t take long before Arrington knew he wanted to change his major, and hoped his wife and her father-in-law would share his feelings of excitement.  However, they, “Knew it was going to happen, just a matter of time.”

Arrington’s history classes has brought many smiles to his students at Perry High School.  Teaching junior and freshman history, he leaves a lasting impact.  “He’s a great teacher and really cares for his students,” Katie Koski said, from his junior history class.  

An unlikely turnout for Arrington, turned into a positive decision, that has positively influenced his life and his students.