Finding fulfillment in the classroom
Arizona Republic
Jun. 17, 2006

Marguerite Hinojosa of Phoenix traded in TV cameras and breaking news for chalkboards and high school students.

The former Good Morning Arizona producer just finished her first year teaching English at Independence High School in Glendale.

A flashback to her former career came with the hurricane season, a big story for TV news. "I thought of how live shots would be set up and who I'd call," she said.

In the next breath she added: "I don't miss it at all."

She sacrificed $7,000 in annual salary and entered the classroom.

The 48-year-old doesn't see that as anything but selfish. She wanted to be happy.

For Hinojosa, that comes from teaching English to non-native speakers. "The kids I teach are especially brave. Their stories are special. They are coming to Phoenix, coping with life and change plus the language," she said.

She wants to pass on her thirst for knowledge. One of her rewards came with the close of the school year as students confidently created dictionaries of words they had learned through the year.