For students, some teachers are just a small part of their high school experience; others, however, transcend beyond just textbooks and quizzes—they become mentors and sources of inspiration, shaping not only academics but also character. Mr. Daniel Teitelbaum falls into the latter category. 

As the only French teacher at Green Hope, Mr. Teitelbaum stands as a pure source of knowledge and inspiration to students— a promising path for students eager to explore the French language and culture. 

This distinction, however, was not immediately apparent; it was only years into teaching that Mr. Teitelbaum realized his potential and influence. 

Growing up in a family of eleven in Pennsylvania, Mr. Teitelbaum originally took French in all four years of high school just out of interest, without the intention of fully majoring in French for university. Instead of French, Teitelbaum initially majored in accounting at Bloomsburg University; however he switched majors to international relations and French a year into college.  Thoroughly enjoying these two majors, Mr. Teitelbaum then took a study-abroad trip in France for one semester in his junior year of college, and it was this semester in France that solidified his confidence in French. Possessing this encouraging momentum in his studies, Mr. Teitelbaum then transitioned into graduate school, studying French and international relations at American University. With what he studied, Mr. Teitelbaum aspired to work as an embassy for France and the United States. This aspiration, however, was overtaken by teaching.  

Mr. Teitelbaum didn’t have intentions to teach until a few years after his college graduation, however. On a whim, his friend suggested a teaching job to him one day, and within a week, Mr. Teitelbaum was hired as a French teacher at the now-defunct Notre Dame Academy in Middleburg, Virginia. For Mr. Teitelbaum, the transition into becoming a teacher was challenging, as he’d never done anything close to teaching before. Still, with time and support, these pains dissipated and he then realized that his passion was teaching. In his tenure at Notre Dame Academy, Mr. Teitelbaum worked in a variety of capacities: a coach, a dean of students, a club advisor, as well as many other roles. 

After teaching at Notre Dame Academy for six years, and being more developed as a teacher, Mr. Teitelbaum then moved to Asheville, North Carolina, and taught French at Carolina Day School for twelve years. Subsequent to his twelve years in Asheville, Mr. Teitelbaum then moved to the Triangle and started teaching at Ravenscroft. During his time at Ravenscroft, Mr. Teitelbaum then pursued a graduate degree in education and educational leadership at North Carolina State University, which he credits to be a significant aspect of his teaching. After eleven years at Ravenscroft, Mr. Teitelbaum then moved to become an administrator, at a small private school for two years, before finally becoming a teacher at Green Hope in 2019. 

Coming into Green Hope in 2019, Mr. Teitelbaum was nervous, as Green Hope was different from every other school he had ever taught at before; GHHS was a big public school, and Mr. Teitelbaum had taught only at small private schools up until then. Parallel to his first teaching job, his struggles were mitigated by the support of his colleagues.  

With years of experience teaching, Teitelbaum has developed a very solid philosophy for his teaching. When approaching a classroom, Mr. Teitelbaum tries to ensure that his students are responsible for their education; he manages his classroom in a way where students aren’t chased after; a classroom where students bear and learn from consequences to become better; a classroom where students discover their own path. As a teacher, Mr. Teitelbaum accredits the lessons and experiences that students gain as his greatest reward; it’s the delayed gratification that comes from students finally learning lessons well after they are taught them. He aspires that as a teacher, he helps students discover their ways of learning and the truth in why they pursue education.