Our next guest was just named the national teacher of the year.
She was honored in Washington DC and even got to meet the president.
But more importantly,
this is how she reacted when she found out she was gonna be on my show.
>> Hold on just a second.
>> Drink some water, drink some water.
>> Take a breath.
>> Aah!
>> [LAUGH] >> From Waterbury,
Connecticut, please welcome Johanna Hayes.
So I love this story, tell everyone how you got into teaching.
>> I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, and then in high school, I got pregnant.
Yeah, sucks.
>> [LAUGH] >> And
they sent me to an alternative school, because it was frowned upon.
And I got a job, I was working and then I was probably about 26 or 27.
And I woke up one day, and I was like this cannot be my real life,
I have to at least try, and I went to a community college.
I didn't tell anyone when I enrolled,
because I was like seriously if I mess up again nobody's gonna forgive me two times.
>> Right.
>> Community college then I went on and get my bachelors, then I went back and
got my masters.
Went back and got a six year degree, and now I'm the national teacher of the year.
[LAUGH] >> And now-
>> [APPLAUSE]
>> It's amazing.
And obviously being the national teacher of the year is a big deal, and
teachers make such a difference.
And it makes a difference and I think you saw the difference between changing
schools on where you went and how much teachers influence you.
And how did that growing up and
being in that situation influence the way you teach now?
>> I think it totally influences the way I teach because I get it.
I grew up in that same neighborhood where those kids grow up and
I've seen the same things, I've experienced the same type of failure.
And when they say to me, you don't get it, I'm like, accept that I do.
>> Yeah.
>> Accept that I do and I know where the end of the journey is.
>> Yeah.
>> I want them to know that your journey is not determined by where you begin.
And they can't see that far out, but I can.
>> Right.
That's a really good thing to remember.
Your journey is not determined from where you begin.
>> Yeah.
>> And you teach kindness in your class, which I love and
I think that that's under rated.
I think people learn math and history and
all these things, but I think that's an important curriculum.
Don't you think that every teacher should teach kindness and compassion?
>> Absolutely, that whole thing.
It doesn't matter how good your grades are, or where you rank in class,
if you're not doing anything to help anyone else, it doesn't matter.
What have you done?
And I think for most of my kids, they've been on the receiving end of aid for
so long that they don't know how good it feels to help someone else,
to be the giver for once.
So when we do community service, they become the givers, and
they're different people after that.
>> Yeah. >> And I think people should just
learn and understand how important that is just nurture, empathy.
>> Right. We have to take a break.
I have something for you when we come back.
We'll be back.
You got to meet the president.
That must have been exciting.
>> [LAUGH] >> I mean, isn't he the coolest guy?
He's just so charming.
>> My gosh.
I thought they were gonna kick me out of there.
They were like, stand still.
I was like, this is as good as it gets.
Like it was so surreal.
That was still.
>> Yeah. >> I was still.
>> Well, I don't blame you.
It's an exciting thing when you meet president.
>> First of all, I'm never getting invited back.
>> Well, >> [LAUGH]
>> You don't know that.
>> You're right.
>> No, you don't know that.
>> You're right. [LAUGH] You're right.
>> Don't say that.
>> I'm a history teacher, so the office of the president for me, was just-
>> Really?
>> Yeah.
>> [LAUGH] really?
Who did that?
>> I know.
It's exciting.
So, let me tell you why we're here.
Not just to celebrate National Teacher of the Year, but
I know that the school is struggling, and
that a lot of teachers spend a lot of their own money trying to help students.
I know you pay for prom dresses and tuxes and everything and help all the students.
So, first thing is our friends at Shutter Fly want to
give John F Kennedy High School a check for $20,000 so that-
>> [APPLAUSE]
>> So out of your own pocket,
I know you've been spending money.
So, Shutterfly wants to give you $20,000.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> You,
that's- >> [LAUGH]
>> Yeah, that's the school that's you.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> I want to thank Russel Crowe good bye,
and I'll see you tomorrow.
Be kind to one another good bye.
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