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Can you tell us about yourself? 

My name is Kimberly Belk and I am at South Davidson, High School and I am a business education teacher. We are located in Denton, North Carolina. I'm finishing up my year and a half here, but I've been teaching for a long time. I started in education in 1997. Came to be a teacher in 2003, till 2018. When I retired. Lo and behold, I decided to come back last spring two weeks after I got here, the pandemic hit. So it's been an interesting year and a half, but I love it here at South Davidson high school.

Why did you start a career in education?

Why did I start a career in education then? My then-husband was a teacher and he talked me into applying for the secretary and treasurer job at the same school. And I just loved it there. When we went our separate ways, I stayed at the school and I worked hard and finished my bachelor's and became a lateral teacher in business education.

If you could have any other job what would it be and why?

If there's any other job I would like I think I would like living at the beach and being a full-time caregiver. I really need to be for my husband.

How are kids different than they were 30 years ago?

How are kids different now than 30 years ago, other than out of school, 41 years, as far as, you know, public school. I know we were a lot less calmer. There was no technology at all. And I think it was totally different because it was a slower, easier time back then and kids as far as how are they different? They don't have all this technology freaking them out, having them wanting to do this, this and this instead of their schoolwork. We were pretty late. We took our books home, did our homework and came back the next day and did it again. So it's really changed.

How is teaching different than it was 30 years ago?

Teaching has changed too, because I know our teachers out, when I was in high school, we didn't have computers yet. I took typing and on a manual typewriter and on an electric typewriter. So, you know, there wasn't really any technology. So I know teachers actually had to make a lot more copies back then. They hadn't had overheads. They showed movies from you know, something or real or whatever they borrowed from the media center or library. So it has really changed.

What would you tell someone who wants to become a teacher?

To be sure to be prepared for anything because this past year has proved that teachers have to do a little bit of everything. And it's interesting trying to teach your remote kids, your eight, eight kids, your kids, and they're all three and some are different. Some of them are right here with you and some of them aren't, and you have to get used to not all doing their work and everything is computerized.

What would you change to help kids learn better?

one thing I would change to help is to help the counselor and then I would have a better internet for all of them. So they all have access to our classes online and, um, I just wish towns were different. Now, one of the things that homework, thank you a lot for listening and keep on teaching. Keep on teaching.