Teacher Nathan Silver leaves TJ to join wife in California.
by Sinjin Jones
photo by Manuel Perez
As many around the halls are privy to, six-year TJ English Teacher Nathan Silver is moving on and up as he prepares to join his wife in California. On the eve of his departure, Silver reflects on the time he has spent here and relates his plans for the future.
For Silver, the choice to leave was a decision made together by him and his wife. "My wife has been in Newport Beach since January to work," he relates. "It’s a great opportunity for her and I want to be there to support her." Silver plans to join her in sunny California the first week of June, the two having been apart for nearly six months. "In the end, it was a matter of her being happy. I love TJ, but we have to do what’s best for both of us, and right now a change is a must."
When asked what he plans to do, Silver relates that he honestly does not know. "I’ve got a part-time job set up at the Latitude 33 Bookshop in Laguna Beach, but I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m actively looking into possible writing opportunities along with getting my assistant principal license." Silver is also taking courses which will reward him with his Master’s Degree in Library Science by the end of the calendar year, yet another possible career opportunity. "The important thing I think," Silver says, "is to keep options open for whatever comes your way."
Teaching had always been ingrained in Silver, and as he ended his fourth year in college, he finally made the decision to take the plunge. "My mother inspired me to teach. She was a teacher and I remember people saying that they never liked any of their teachers after her, so teaching seemed like a great idea. I taught canoeing, sailing, and snowboarding and it seemed natural. I knew that a Master’s Degree would make me better prepared to tackle the classroom, so I decided to go to Graduate School." Soon after graduating, Silver landed a job in DPS at Gove Middle School. "I taught at Gove for a couple years and it was nice, but I knew that I had found my niche when I got to TJ."
In his time at TJ, Silver has experienced an array of events that have greatly impacted his life. "I will never forget my time here; they have been some of the best years of my life," Silver relates. "Every time a student stands in front of the class and reads a piece of writing they created that blows me away, I know why I became a teacher." Silver remembers a number of events that he reckons are some of the highlights of his time at TJ. "Teaching African American Literature was profound, getting to teach consecutive years of Freshman Literature X and the honor being asked to be the Yearbook Advisor, along with the first of our back to back basketball championships, top my list I think."
Silver took up the position of Yearbook Advisor in this critical year for the publication. The book was assembled and bound completely in-house for the first time. "It was a tough year for Yearbook; we had a small staff, new equipment, and a new advisor. But I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished, and I have the utmost faith that the yearbook will only get better. It was a great honor to take up this position and I enjoyed every moment of it, though it was sometimes trying."
Students are sad to see Silver go. "Even though he’s a tough teacher and expects a lot from us, I always know he’s there for us if we need him, and it is unfortunate that (TJ) students won’t get to have him in the coming years," TJ Student Taylor Williams shared.
It is certain that Nathan Silver will be missed among the TJ community, but we wish him the best of luck in all of his sure-to-be successful future endeavors.
If there’s one piece of knowledge that Silver could leave the students of TJ, present and future, he said it would be to live life. "Don’t let high school be the best it’s going to get; it’s just the start. You’re only as good as the last thing you do so make the best of every moment."
