Passion drives a second career in education

John Randolph took a winding road to find his true calling as a leader to young people, being the person that could help guide them to success. After serving in the military and working as a mechanic, he later uncovered his passion for education—a field where he finally found his perfect fit. Today, he serves his community as principal at Round Lake Middle School.

Randolph, a Lake Villa resident, acknowledges that pinpointing the exact reason why an educator wants to get into the field can be challenging. For him, the moment came when he was coaching volleyball. Seeing the younger players build on their skills helped him discover that he enjoyed helping people grow.

“I wanted to give something back to future generations,” Randolph said. “I really wanted to be that teacher I didn't have.”

Growing up in southern California, Randolph came to Lake County with his girlfriend, now wife, in 1996. Before moving, he attended Mt. San Jacinto College, another community college. Community colleges were great choices, he said, because they offer affordability and small class sizes that foster closer connections with instructors.

“The education courses at CLC were very engaging,” Randolph said. “I found the instructors had a passion for what they were teaching.”

Like many students who complete their two-year degree at CLC, Randolph continued his bachelor’s degree through the University Center of Lake County located at CLC’s Grayslake Campus. When Randolph came to CLC, all he knew was that he wanted to teach science, but it was during his student teaching that he realized he wanted to teach at the middle school level.

"I was in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools, and I found that I fell in love with the middle school range,” Randolph said. “That is a time in a student's life when direction is being set for them."

Recognizing Randolph’s passion and potential, Education Instructor Dr. Michelle Proctor saw qualities in him that made him stand out as an ideal educator for this pivotal age group.

“John has a great work ethic, and he’s reflective,” she said. “He is constantly implementing what he learns about interpretations of policy and curriculum. He builds relationships really well as a teacher and leader outside the classroom.”

While Proctor says that most educators fall in love with the classroom, a career in education offers many roles. Randolph has excelled in several, beginning as a “traveling teacher” at Round Lake Middle School, where he taught multiple subjects across various grade levels. After two years, he became a full-time eighth-grade science teacher but soon saw opportunities to make a broader impact in other roles.

“Education offers so many paths, and it all depends on where your passion is,” Randolph said. “The doors are wide open.”

For the next few years, Randolph took on roles as an instructional coach and curriculum specialist for science. While he enjoyed the impact he made, his desire to do more led him to pursue a principalship.

He began as an assistant principal and recently started his first year as the principal of Round Lake Middle School. Though still early in the role, the transition has been a significant leap from his previous positions.

Despite moving into administration, Randolph continues to pursue his passion of being in the classroom as an adjunct faculty at CLC, where he inspires future educators through various education courses, preparing them for the profession.

While being an educator comes with challenges, Proctor notes that a career in education is far more positive than not.

“You will never be bored, even on the most frustrating days,” Proctor said. “The good days far outweigh the tough ones. Teaching will always challenge you.”

Randolph sees this positivity daily in his own career, and it’s one of the most important points he teaches to future educators.

“I tell my students that when they see a student learn, it's going to fill them with so much joy and happiness. It's going to be incredible,” Randolph said. “The fun thing is when something clicks in the mind of a student, you will see it and you recognize it, and the student feels it. And I think that alone is what people love. We love and care about our students so much.”

For more information about CLC’s education program, visit www.clcillinois.edu/programs/bssdv/education

To learn more about a career in education, visit www.clcillinois.edu/news-and-events/news/article/2024/09/30/career-spotlight--education