GET TO KNOW YOUR PHYSICS TEACHER

ABOUT ME

Navigating the Challenges of Teaching Amidst Health Struggles and Professional Setbacks

A Journey Through Adversity in Education

I’m Raymond Burns, a High School Physics Teacher from New Jersey. I have taught Regular, Honors, and AP Physics. And I’ve gotten good at what I do. I was voted Teacher of the Year (an honor bestowed upon me in a school with over 200 teachers) several times. My Physics and Engineering Club has won multiple state and regional competitions. And my students’ AP scores are consistently the highest in my school. Sounds great, right? The truth is that my teaching career has not always been rainbows and butterflies.

The summer before my first year of teaching, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. To say that the school year had a rough start would be an understatement. But it had been my dream for many years to be a teacher, and I was excited to do a great job. Some days, I had to come to work while chemotherapy pumped into me through a portable box. Chemo aside, being a first-year teacher was rough. In fact, the mental challenges and anxieties that I went through as a first-year teacher were more difficult than all the surgeries, hospitalizations, and treatments combined. Still, I gave it my all as a teacher. But at the end of the school year, I was let go.

Being let go was an identity-shattering experience. I had wanted to be a teacher for so long and I had so many dreams. But the people around me were telling me that I was just not good enough. Instead of giving up, I buckled down and got a new teaching job the following year. Thankfully, by then I was done with chemo. Teaching was still challenging, but it was more manageable the second time around. By now, my effort was paying off. My students ended up having the highest AP scores in the school. And they even voted me “Most Influential Teacher” at the end of the year.

The following year, I started a new club with my students — the Physics and Engineering Club. To the surprise of everyone (including me), we won first place in the NJAAPT Physics Olympics State Competition. At that point, we were just some scrappy school that didn’t even have uniforms or a clue what we were walking into. Somehow, our excitement for the subject and bond with each other carried us farther than we thought was possible.

Drawing Inspiration from the Past to Shape the Future of Education

Empowering Educators: From Classroom to Online Entrepreneur

Today, I sell educational Physics content online. I even have a blog and a YouTube channel. Most of the motivation for what I do today comes from my memories of being a first-year teacher. I often think back to the new teacher version of myself, to the person who thought he wasn’t good enough for his dreams to become reality. When I make products and share advice, I keep that first-year teacher in mind. My resources and tips would have helped the first-year-teacher version of myself to be confident enough to reach his potential. I hope they will help you do the same.

Outside of teaching, I absolutely love being a dad. I’m a husband and father of two sons. We love all things outdoors: hiking, camping, backpacking, sports, biking— you name it! My dream for the near future is to get an RV and drive to different National Parks around the country. We will see what happens…

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