Teacher’s Perspective: “I Have Only Fond Memories of Each Class”

Why did you become a teacher?

“When I started my journey as a vocational teacher at this school in 2015, my colleagues and I joked about aiming to become Sweden’s largest bus driver training program at the high school level. Today, we are, and I’m proud of that! I chose to pursue a career in teaching because I enjoy working with young people. I also believe that people who work in the educational field tend to have a closer connection to laughter than average, which makes me particularly happy in the school environment. Additionally, I wanted to continue working in a field with varied daily tasks and development opportunities. I think others see me as a team player, moderately inventive, and someone who enjoys working in high-visibility clothing, so this is the perfect place for me. No academic year is the same as the last, so the best part of a long teaching career is being able to look back and actually articulate what I’ve learned from each year and each group I’ve taught. Just that experience gives me the energy to tackle the next class and the next group of vocational drivers. When students have graduated, I only have fond memories of each class and each personality. I hope that’s how they remember me too.”

What can students expect from you as a teacher?

“I strive to be someone who comes to work every day with a forward-thinking attitude to create a cohesive environment for students. You can also expect that we will move forward together as a unit. This unit is the one that, every September, goes on the traditional ‘Transport Training Camp’ somewhere in the country. Here, it’s essential to be on track with your education, plan and execute a driving and logistics plan according to current laws and regulations, behave appropriately, and know how to represent yourself and the logo on your chest. You should also be curious during study visits and other school activities we are invited to. During the camp, besides driving practice and networking, we also conduct driving exercises for various driving licenses and participate in the Swedish Championships qualifier for transport technology. This camp is personally my highlight of the year, where I get to express my passion for large vehicle transport and team cohesion.”

What do students think of the camp?

“I know that during these days, students create many memories with each other that they can look back on later in life. Maybe as future colleagues, maybe as lifelong friends. We go as a class filled with courage and return as a team, graduating as winners!”

Do former students come back to visit?

“All these young people, who come to school as teenagers and leave as employable adults, have a task from me. Our school in Täby is located close to a major road with quite intense traffic. It happens daily that former students pass by with their work vehicles, such as trucks or buses. The task is to honk when passing the school while on duty. And they do honk. Often by public transport line 604, sometimes by a crane truck or a distribution vehicle. Every time the horn sounds, I feel a sense of professional pride. It’s a nice affirmation that lasts a long time. At least until the next horn sounds.”