#WhyIChoseEducation: Rabbi Marc Kasten

As part of Celebrating 90 Years of NC State Education, we asked you to share your stories of why you chose education and why you love the NC State College of Education. Below is one of the many stories we received demonstrating how we’re leading the way in education in North Carolina and beyond.

Name: Rabbi Marc Kasten 
Graduation Year: 2009
Program: Mathematics Education
Career Role & Responsibilities: Wake Tech – Adjunct Instructor

Why did you enter the field of education?
Teachers are, at different times and for different people, all things. We are nurturers, rock stars, and cheerleaders. Having been a learner with excellent teachers and not-so-excellent teachers, I realized that I could make a difference in the lives of other people. In addition, I had a number of formative experiences in my youth that taught me the importance of caring, knowledgable, and adept educational leaders. From my path to Eagle Scout to my involvement in the Jewish community, learning and teaching have been an integral part of the ethos of my upbringing. It only made sense, when I evaluated my path vis-à-vis this experience and in a reflective sense, that I would choose to become a teacher.

Why did you choose to earn your degree from the NC State College of Education?
I transferred degree programs in the middle of my tenure at NC State into the College of Education. I made the decision for the sake of convenience, and I am very glad that I did. Almost every class was taught by master educators who understood how to model teaching and learning.