Teaching can be a rewarding career choice. Not only are you able to impact the lives of the next generation, in the case of Eja Collier, she also gets to share one of her passions. And watching her students excel at that is something that she enjoys.
“I love seeing kids take the skills I teach them and applying it to a project that they are excited about,” she said. “Their joy in making something that they are proud of reminds me to slow down and take joy in my own creative processes.”
Collier teaches advanced art classes at Shawnee High School, where she has taught for seven years. Her classes include Drawing, Sculpture, Ceramics I, II, and III, and Advanced Studio Art.
The decision to become an educator was impacted by some special people in her life.
“My Art teacher and English teacher both made a big impact on my life when I was in school,” she said. “My school had an amazing art program and I loved it. I decided to be an educator because I knew that I wanted to do something art related and I did not know of many other career paths for visual arts. Two of my siblings are teachers and they supported that process as well.”
Throughout her teaching career, Collier has received numerous pieces of advice but has on that has stuck with her the most.
“The best advice given to me as an educator is that the kids need to know that you care,” she said.
Eja is married to her husband, Josh. They are currently fostering a two year old boy and they also have two dogs, Mousse and Argo. When she is not in the classroom teaching, she has a number of other ways she enjoys spending her time.
“I enjoy creating ceramics at my friends studio, pretty much anything art related, running, and walking our dogs,” she said.
