As she steps into her classroom, she takes in her all too familiar surroundings. This campus was once her home away from home, too. Now her new home is room 92. This year, Erika Delk rejoined the Tiger family as a U.S. History teacher.
As a Texas High Alumna, she graduated with the class of 2005. She began her teaching career at Liberty Eylau High School but ultimately made her way back home to Texas High.
Her path to becoming a teacher began very early on in her life. She had several family members that went on to become teachers, and she followed suit.
“I grew up surrounded by teachers,” said Delk. “My dad taught history and German at Texas High, my mom taught English at what was then Lincoln Street Alternative School and my older sister was an assistant swim coach and a history teacher at Texas High.”
Although Delk came from a family of teachers, she never intended to become a teacher. She spent much of her undergraduate education inside of the science department.
“My degree is actually in agronomy (soil and crop science) from Texas A&M University in College Station,” Delk said. “However, I have loved history my whole life and took a lot of history electives while getting my degree.”
Delk’s now on the path of applying to graduate schools to receive her masters in history.
After Delk graduated from college, she took a year abroad to join her dad in Europe before she entered into the real world. Her dad worked for a NATO based International High School, and she assisted him by working in the school’s cafeteria during her time there.
“I knew if I passed up the opportunity to live in Europe I would regret it,” Delk said. “I am so glad I had that experience because it helped shape me into who I am today.”
Delk took a job as an adult probation officer after returning to the states from her time abroad for eight years. She realized her love for teaching after she began teaching probation classes in her department.
“[My husband] saw how much I loved teaching my probation classes,” Delk said. “He encouraged and supported me changing my career to teaching, and I’m so glad he did.”
Delk loved history for as long as she can remember. She enjoys the story-telling aspect of it, as well as how it can be used to explain individual and group behavior and their thoughts. Delk enjoys teaching about past events similar to modern events.
“I still sometimes can’t believe someone actually pays me to talk to people about history all day,” Delk said. “ I love when I am explaining a historical event and students’ eyes get big because they had no idea that situation ever happened.”
