From insurance agent to teacher—alum’s career pivot brings fulfillment

Barker-Hatch, a resident of Eastvale, graduated in June 2018 from La Sierra University’s School of Education with a Master of Arts in Teaching aiming to become an elementary school teacher. He completed seven weeks of teacher training last summer and in November and December worked as a substitute teacher at Honey Hollow Elementary School in Moreno Valley. He is currently in a long-term substitute first grade teacher in Moreno Valley.

“I have had a long career in a competitive industry,” Barker Hatch said. “It's a pleasure to now give back in a collaborative environment.”

Barker-Hatch joins a field that anticipates substantive job growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates nearly 1.9 million job openings for teachers between 2014 and 2024 in preschool through postsecondary education. 

And his career switch is not uncommon. Various reports peg the number of career changes an individual may pursue in his or her lifetime as ranging between three and seven. For those considering a professional metamorphosis, La Sierra offers a variety of options including master’s and doctoral degrees in education, a Master of Arts in English, a Master of Business Administration with various emphases, and a Master of Science in Accountancy which prepares students for the CPA exam.

Barker-Hatch graduated from Cal Poly, Pomona in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He became an insurance agent and then owned an agency in Anaheim offering multiple lines of insurance. Seven years ago he married into a family of teachers. Around that time his wife, Trish Barker-Hatch earned a teaching credential in biology and geoscience at Claremont Graduate University. The education field piqued Hugh's interest and Trish suggested he try teaching. 

But he wanted to be certain before making such a drastic jump. In 2016 Barker-Hatch substitute taught across five Southern California school districts in every level from transitional kindergarten to 12th grade, and in classrooms serving students with mild, moderate, and severe special needs. “I did everything to see what I liked best,” he said. “I came to realize that my real passion was teaching the younger students. They still like their teachers, they want to learn and do well for their teachers, and they are still teachable.” 

Barker-Hatch learned about La Sierra’s graduate program online and initially chose to enroll at the university because of its proximity to his home and his substitute teaching work. “I came to really appreciate the physical campus and the camaraderie among students, faculty, and staff there,” he said. “It was an excellent choice for me. I especially appreciate the personal contact with DeAnne Knipschild, Angela Reynolds, Dr. [Keith] Drieberg, and Dr. [Raymond] Hurst.”

As a La Sierra graduate student, Hugh was also impacted by a field trip to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena where he and other education students learned how to teach science to different age groups, which included how to do certain types of experiments. They learned projects such as how to make a planetarium out of a large piece of black felt and how to make small rockets. They also visited the JPL control room and learned about the latest activities of the Mars rover program.

Barker-Hatch is now applying his skills and knowledge in the classroom and using his new-found career to make a difference in young lives.

“I want to teach students about the importance of teamwork,” he says, “[of] taking care of themselves, finding solutions rather than seeing only problems, taking responsibility for their actions, and being nice to others.” 

“He’s a natural-born teacher,” said Trish who teaches ninth grade biology in Moreno Valley. 

Added her husband, “It’s fun.”