In the 46 years since Oak Park High School first opened its gates, many teachers have come and gone. A few can even attest to having attended OPHS in their youth, and those individuals likely have at least one thing in common: a ten-month tenure under the soft guidance of one Kathy Bowman.
Reflecting on her career as an English teacher, Bowman emphasized those moments that shaped the person she is today.
“I never thought I was going to be an English teacher; I thought I was going to be a history teacher,” Bowman said. “But I found that English was more aligned with what I wanted to do.”
Head of the OPHS English department, Bowman has seen extraordinary things in her years as a public servant—with that experience comes wisdom.
“I always look at challenges as opportunities,” Bowman said. “Even though I thought I would go in a different direction, I ended up finding I loved teaching English. I love the discussion-based connections I can make with kids with English. Those discussions…are on a different level than other subjects.”
Previous to her aspirations of becoming a history teacher, Bowman leaned towards the idea of being a lawyer. Past scenarios are no matter for Bowman, however. To her, teaching English is a driving force.
“Through English, I wanted kids to realize the importance of being kind and empathetic human beings, and life-long learners. If I can do that through the literature we’ve learned, then I feel like I’ve been successful,” Bowman said. “I’d like to leave behind a legacy of showing care and understanding towards others. I think that’s really important to me.”
Bowman stressed the importance of making sure no child is left feeling abandoned by a strict curriculum.
“If I have a class where students aren’t thriving, doing the best they can, I want to work out to see what I can do to bring out the best in them,” Bowman said. “That’s my favorite part of teaching. My students and colleagues, all the people who are only here for a season of our lives—my favorite part about teaching is the people. We should love and appreciate what we have, when we have it.”
