A Life Changing Decision to Become a Teacher

A Mom’s Desire to Spend Time with Children Leads to another Generation of Teachers

Twenty-five years ago Cindy Chuculate made a decision to leave the business world and enter the field of education. Her insurance career consumed her life and left little time to spend with her children.

She’s the first to tell anyone that switching careers to become a teacher was one of the best decisions she’s ever made.

Math was Mrs. Chuculate’s strong suit and upon graduating from Northeastern State University she become an adjuster. For nine years, she worked long hours in the insurance industry.

“As an insurance adjuster, I had quite a few counties to cover in my territory in Northeast Oklahoma. If anything happened in one of my counties, I handled it. I was working night and day,” Mrs. Chuculate said. “I had a home office and my two little kids would always ask, ‘Mom, Are you working tonight again?’ And it just hit me. I needed a job that would allow me to have time with my children. I missed out on so many things at that time in their lives.”

With her math degree, Mrs. Chuculate already took several education courses. After investigating her options, she found out that it would only take her one semester of classes to obtain an education degree. She decided to go back to school. After graduating, she continued her studies to earn a master’s in Educational Leadership.

Mrs. Chuculate’s children weren’t the only driving force in her decision to become a teacher. Her grandmother was an educator and also tried to steer her in the same direction.

“My grandmother taught elementary school and always wanted me to teach, especially history. History was my least favorite subject so there’s no way that was going to happen,” Mrs. Chuculate said. “However, one of my best friends talked about how my grandmother had a positive influence on her. I thought if my grandmother really made a good influence on one of my best friends then maybe I could make a good influence on children too.

“Teaching was perfect for me. My son just started kindergarten and my daughter was seven when I became a high school teacher,” she said. “I was able to be off every time they were out of school so I could take care of them. I could go to everything that they were involved in at school and hardly missed any activities.”

Originally hired at Jay High School, Mrs. Chuculate would have to drive about an hour to work from her hometown of Pryor. This would almost defeat the purpose of being able to spend time with her children. Fortunately, there was an opening at nearby Salina High School, but she didn’t want to go back on her word once she accepted the position at Jay.

“I gave my word to the Superintendent at Jay and committed to teaching there so I didn’t think too much of the job in Salina,” she said. “The Superintendent was a family friend and knew about the job in Salina. He visited with the Principal in Salina and they decided that Salina High School would be a better place for me. I knew right off the bat that I made a great decision coming to Salina. The small-town atmosphere has been unbelievably positive for me. I became a single parent when my kids were in first and third grade, and the community helped raise my kids. My kids would be in the gym running around while I was coaching, and everybody knew not to let them go outside.”

Mrs. Chuculate has had a successful career at Salina, teaching Geometry and Algebra II the majority of her career. She also coached slow pitch and fast pitch softball, volleyball and basketball. During the last eight years, she’s taught a computer class and Microsoft Office. She also oversees the newspaper, broadcasting and the yearbook.

“I have 10 students in the newspaper class; one is a senior and the rest are juniors. They’re really a delight to have in class. From senior class profiles to interviewing coaches and taking photographs, the students are involved in sharing the news of the school.”

After all these years, Mrs. Chuculate still loves teaching.

“My message would be to do something that you love because money isn’t everything,” she said. “I found out I really have a passion for teaching.”

That passion for teaching has flowed over to her children as both of them are now teachers and coaches. At one point, all three members of the family were teaching at Salina High School in adjacent rooms.

“My daughter Chali Kingfisher is a math teacher and a cheer coach at Salina. My son Ty Thompson is a history teacher. He now coaches football and basketball at Vinita High School. I tried to get them to go a different route. I’m not sure why, but at the time I wasn’t making a lot of money and I was a single mother. Despite our struggles, we made it with a lot of answered prayers from God. I think He just provided for us.”

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Mrs. Kingfisher loves teaching just about as much as her mom. “It was like teaching was embedded in us. I love math and I know that I love helping people. That’s why I wanted to come back to where I graduated and help the community. I saw mom’s love for the subject and that made me fall in love with it even more so.”

Mr. Thompson agreed with his sister about their mom, “I wanted to become a teacher because many of my greatest influences in life were teachers and coaches. My mom was a teacher so I was around other teachers all the time. I saw the impact and difference that she, as well as the others, made on students’ lives and I wanted to have that same impact on young peoples’ lives. Seeing mom’s former students coming up to talk to her, saying how grateful they were to have been taught by her is just awesome to see.”

Inspired to become a teacher by her grandmother, Mrs. Chuculate is pleased to pass the family’s education legacy onto her children. “I know my grandma is happy looking down from heaven seeing her granddaughter and great grandchildren serve as teachers.”