“I am meaningful to so many people. I can really affect them”

Meet Michal Hobel. She is 40 years old, married with 3 kids, lives in Beer Sheva and works as a high school teacher. Michal has worked with kids and teenagers for the past 20 years. She guided youths at risk in special boarding schools, hostels, and community centers.

5 years ago, she decided to take the next step and got her teaching license.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

“I really enjoy working with people and have a lot to give. I believe I’m good at this profession and it brings me joy. It is a vocation for me. I always clicked with kids and youth and all my past experiences were positive, so I thought I could give it a try. One of the best things about this job is that I am meaningful to so many people and I can affect them. Another thing is that this profession allows me to connect and get close to the other side.”

Is this the job you dreamed of since childhood?

“No! It could not be further away than what I wanted. I dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Talking, presenting and being in the center was always my thing. I knew how to express myself in speech and in writing well. I pictured myself becoming this badass lawyer, a strong independent woman that can take care of herself without the need of anyone else. “While growing up, my father was ill. He was in and out of hospitals and my mom basically moved in to live by his bed at the hospital, so we had to raise ourselves as kids. I was independent from an early age and that’s how I imagined the rest of my life would be.

Describe a typical day at work.

“I wake up around 6am. I have 3 kids, so I need to make sure they are ready on time and have everything they need. After dropping them off at school I’m going to school. I make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before the lesson begins. I like to have all my things organized so I’m taking this time to go through my things before the day starts. As soon as I enter the class, I look at the students directly in the eyes. I dedicate the first 30 minutes to have a conversation about how they are doing, how was their previous day etc. It is really important for me to make them know that I thought about them during the night or the day before, and that I prepared myself for their arrival. After that I start teaching the material in the relevant subject. I move from class to class, from one group to another. During recess I sit and catch up with my colleagues. After class I might have some meetings with the team and then I go back to my private kids”.

Can you recall one of the most memorable moments in your career?

I was a guide in a boarding school for at-risk youth. They were in the seventh grade. It was Saturday, a sunny day, and wewere all outside. At the time there was a military operation and suddenly an alarm sounded, indicating rockets were fired.We ran into the shelter with all the kids. We started counting them and making sure everyone is here and one kid was missing. Without thinking I ran back outside and started to look for him. The alarm was still on, and there were explosion noises all over the place. I found him hiding in the cupboard under the sink. When I opened the door he was curled up inside himself. He wasn’t ready to move, so I picked him up and took him to the shelter. When we were inside the shelter, he told me ‘I knew you would come’. I asked him why he didn’t come with the rest of the group, and he replied that he was very scared, but he knew. He knew that I would come back for him. I won’t forget him or leave him alone. These are the moments that I feel like I’m in the right profession.