The nearing end of the school year signifies not only a time where students are moving on, but also teachers entering retirement. Beloved English teacher Alexandra Green is one of the teachers wrapping up her high school teaching career at the close of the 2025-2026 school year, finishing an impressive 32-year career in middle and secondary education. 

“The privilege of teaching young people critical thinking skills has been incredibly impactful,” said Green. “I have had wonderful experiences in middle and high school level teaching. There is a joy in middle school with genuine curiosity and I’ve found that in 9th grade too. There is also the rigor of academics in AP Lang, and I think that there is a broad spectrum of skills that I’ve been able to teach over the last 32 years.”

MCPS has gone through its fair share of curriculum changes over the years. Teachers have in some ways lost certain control over what they are able to teach, but in other ways have gained new tools that help them find success in the classroom. “When I was first hired the teachers didn’t have a prescriptive curriculum,” recounted Green. “We were able to pick what books we taught and had more say over assignments. Now we have less content, but go more in depth. More time is spent on reading texts that expose students to more perspectives on which to see the world. But the downside is that there is more rigidity to assignments; students need more free ability to write about who they are as people and what they care about,” explained Green.

Everchanging trends and innovations in technology have certainly impacted the way in which students interact with the school environment. Smartphones have played a role in reducing student contact with one another. However, having easy access to a wealth of information has also brought positive changes. “In the last 10-15 years I have noticed more advocacy and student involvement in movements,” said Green. “When young people exit high school they may keep or adjust views, but they have definitely been more tuned in. Students are more engaged with the news than they were in earlier times. Now, if you are subscribed to anything, the news will be there.”

Green has dedicated a significant amount of time throughout her career to understanding new technology and ensuring she is caught up with the times. She notes the time she spent during COVID getting to know Canvas as crucial to her ability to advance her teaching methods. The popularization of AI has again thrown teaching into flux as teachers decide how to adapt it into their classrooms. Teaching requires significant flexibility, nothing is set in stone; however, it is important to not forget passion.

“The most important quality is patience, [because] demands are high in the profession. Teachers undergo daily interaction with students, colleagues, parents, and leadership; you can’t allow a few events or a bad day to negate the good work that you’re doing,” explained Green. “Pause and remind yourself that you are doing good, are transmitting important info related to a content area that you love. Exercise patience, stay open to different ways into how content is delivered as it changes over time.”

As Green leaves Sherwood behind she is focusing on how she can stay active in the education community. She has entertained the possibility of mentoring new teachers, teaching courses in a college setting, or even teaching Greek language classes. As she mulls over her many options, it is clear that she wants to remain involved in a field she loves and has dedicated decades of work to.