At Guru At Home, we believe teaching is one of the noblest professions. While many dedicate their lives to education, some remarkable individuals used teaching as a stepping stone before achieving fame in other fields.
The patience, communication skills, and creativity developed in the classroom proved invaluable in their subsequent careers. Let’s explore eight famous people who began as teachers and how those formative years shaped their ultimate achievements.
1. George Orwell: From Teacher to Literary Revolutionary
Before becoming one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Eric Arthur Blair – better known by his pen name George Orwell – spent time as a teacher. In April 1932, Orwell began teaching at The Hawthorns Boys School in Hayes, West London, despite having no formal training or experience in education.
This career move followed diverse previous roles, including five years in the police in Burma and work as a hotel dishwasher in Paris. The school was small, with only about a dozen pupils aged between ten and sixteen, and just one other teacher besides Orwell.
Orwell’s teaching career was relatively short-lived. He taught at The Hawthorns until July 1933, leaving due to a change in the school’s ownership. He subsequently secured a teaching position at Frays College in Uxbridge but remained there for only one term before falling seriously ill with pneumonia. After his recovery, he did not return to teaching, instead focusing on his writing career.
After leaving teaching behind, Orwell went on to create some of the most significant literary works of the modern era. In 1945, he published “Animal Farm,” followed in 1949 by “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Remarkably, “Animal Farm” remains a staple in UK schools, particularly for GCSE English Literature students – a fitting educational legacy for a former teacher.
2. J.K. Rowling: Conjuring Literary Magic After Teaching Magic After Teaching
Before creating the magical world of Harry Potter, Joanne Rowling worked as a teacher, sharing her love of languages with students. After graduating from Exeter University with a degree in Modern Foreign Languages, Rowling worked in various roles, including as an interpreter for Amnesty International.
Eventually, she trained as a teacher at Moray House School of Education in Edinburgh, earning her teaching certificate in July 1996. She taught languages at Leith Academy while simultaneously writing her first Harry Potter novel.
Rowling had conceived the idea for Harry Potter years earlier while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990. She moved to Portugal to teach English as a foreign language, using her days to work on her novel and teaching classes at night. After returning to Edinburgh and completing her teacher training, she continued to write while working full-time as a teacher, often penning her stories in local cafés during free moments.
The discipline required to maintain this dual focus – educating students by day while developing her manuscript during free moments – demonstrated the extraordinary determination that would later help her navigate the publishing world. Her transition from teacher to author resulted in one of the most phenomenal literary successes in history, with the Harry Potter series selling over 600 million books worldwide.
3. Brian May: The Astrophysicist Who Rocked the World
Before becoming the legendary guitarist of Queen, Brian May was firmly established in the academic world. May taught mathematics at Stockwell Manor School in Brixton, London, while simultaneously pursuing his PhD in astrophysics at Imperial College London.
During his time teaching, he recalls an ambitious lesson where he attempted to teach geometry through hands-on activities: “I had this idea of letting them cut up coloured paper with scissors. Half an hour into the lesson, they were all attacking each other with scissors – ears, feet and hands were getting cut and there was blood and paper everywhere.” Like many new teachers, May learned valuable classroom management lessons through experience.
May’s transition from teaching mathematics to playing guitar solos represents one of the most fascinating career evolutions in British cultural history. His scientific mind and mathematical precision likely contributed to his distinctive guitar style and innovative approach to sound engineering.
In a remarkable full-circle journey, May eventually returned to his academic roots. After decades of musical success, he completed his PhD in astrophysics in 2007, more than 30 years after beginning it – demonstrating the lasting impact of his teaching background.
4. William Shakespeare: From Schoolmaster to Literary Immortality
Britain’s most revered playwright may have once been a humble rural schoolmaster. While the complete details of Shakespeare’s life during what historians call his “lost years” (1585-1592) remain somewhat mysterious, there is compelling evidence suggesting he worked as a teacher during this period.
Shakespeare received his own education at a grammar school in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he would have studied Latin, rhetoric, and classical literature – all elements that later featured prominently in his plays. Although he had no university education, through sponsorship by the Earl of Southampton, Shakespeare possibly became a teacher under his patronage.
Local historians in Titchfield near Southampton believe that during the period between 1589 and 1592, Shakespeare worked as a schoolmaster in the area. This teaching experience would have deepened his understanding of classical texts and rhetoric, elements that later became fundamental to his dramatic works.
While Shakespeare’s teaching career remains somewhat speculative, what’s certain is that his works have since become central to education worldwide. His plays are studied in schools across the globe, and his insights into human nature continue to educate and inspire centuries after his death.
5. Sting: From English Teacher to Global Rock Star
Before becoming one of the world’s most recognizable musicians, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner – better known as Sting – spent two years in the early 1970s teaching English at St. Paul’s Middle School in Cramlington, Northumberland. The future frontman of The Police didn’t just teach language skills; he also served as a sports coach, nurturing both the minds and bodies of his students.
Sting has often spoken fondly of his teaching days, acknowledging the profession’s importance in society. In his autobiography, he shared amusing anecdotes from his teaching career, including a story about a student who played truant and attempted to explain his absence with a comically high-pitched phone voice.
This early experience in commanding a classroom may have helped prepare him for commanding stadium audiences worldwide. His transition from Mr. Sumner to Sting marked the beginning of an extraordinary musical journey that would earn him 17 Grammy Awards and five UK number-one hits.
Even after achieving phenomenal success, Sting has maintained his appreciation for the teaching profession, stating that “teaching is one of the most important jobs in our society.”
6. Maria Montessori: Revolutionary Educator Who Changed Childhood Learning
While not from the UK, Maria Montessori’s impact on education worldwide, including British schools, merits her inclusion in this list. Breaking gender barriers, she enrolled at the University of Rome in 1890 to study medicine, becoming one of Italy’s first female physicians when she graduated in 1896.
Montessori’s transition to education began through her work with children with developmental disabilities. As director of the Orthophrenic School for developmentally disabled children in Rome, she developed new materials and methods that helped these children learn effectively. Her success was remarkable – many of her students passed standardized tests designed for “normal” children.
In 1907, Montessori opened her first Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House) in a poor district of Rome. Here, she applied her scientific observations and developed her educational method for typical children. Rather than teaching in a traditional sense, Montessori saw herself as a scientific observer of children, creating an environment where they could teach themselves through specially designed materials.
Her approach was revolutionary – she believed in children’s natural desire to learn and their ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings. Today, there are thousands of Montessori schools worldwide, including many in the UK.
7. Sir William Golding: From Schoolteacher to Nobel Laureate
Before achieving literary fame as the author of “Lord of the Flies,” William Golding spent nearly two decades as a dedicated schoolteacher. After completing his education at Oxford University, where he studied natural sciences before switching to English literature, Golding began teaching at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury, Wiltshire in 1945.
Golding’s teaching career was extensive and influential, spanning from 1945 to 1962. During this time, he taught English and philosophy, subjects that would later inform his literary works. His daily interactions with schoolboys provided him with direct insights into the complexities of human nature and the thin veneer of civilization – themes that would become central to his most famous novel.
Indeed, Golding’s masterpiece, “Lord of the Flies,” was directly inspired by his teaching experiences. Published in 1954 while he was still teaching, the novel explores what happens when a group of British schoolboys are stranded on an uninhabited island without adult supervision. Golding later remarked that his time in the classroom had shown him “how boys behave,” giving him a realistic foundation for the novel.
After initially facing rejection from numerous publishers, “Lord of the Flies” eventually gained recognition and is now considered a classic of 20th-century literature. Golding’s transition from schoolteacher to acclaimed author culminated in 1983 when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
8. Alexander Graham Bell: From Teacher of the Deaf to Inventor of the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell’s journey from teacher to world-changing inventor demonstrates how educational experience can spark technological innovation. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Bell initially followed in his father’s footsteps as a teacher of elocution and speech. His family had developed a passionate interest in helping deaf people communicate, partly due to his mother’s hearing impairment and his father’s work in visible speech.
Bell established himself as a dedicated teacher of the deaf in London, Boston, and Hartford, Connecticut. His methods were progressive for the time, focusing on teaching deaf people to speak rather than rely solely on sign language. This specialized teaching experience gave Bell intimate knowledge of the mechanics of speech and sound – knowledge that would prove crucial to his later inventions.
While teaching at the Boston School for Deaf Mutes, Bell began experimenting with devices to transmit sound. His work as a teacher directly influenced his research, as he sought to create tools that might help his deaf students. Bell’s understanding of how sound works, developed through years of teaching people to speak without hearing, gave him unique insights that other inventors lacked.
Bell’s teaching career and his inventive work became increasingly intertwined. Even after creating the telephone in 1876, he continued to teach individual students, including Helen Keller. His educational background informed not just the telephone but numerous other innovations related to sound transmission and recording.
The Educational Impact: Beyond the Classroom
The diverse careers of these eight former teachers highlight how the skills developed in education can transfer to success in various fields. Teaching requires effective communication, creativity, resilience, and adaptability – all attributes that served these individuals well in their subsequent careers.
From Sting’s command of a stadium audience to J.K. Rowling’s disciplined creation of literary worlds, these former teachers demonstrated how educational foundations can support achievement in seemingly unrelated pursuits. Their stories challenge the outdated notion that “those who can’t do, teach” – instead suggesting that those who can teach can often do anything.
Many of these figures maintained connections to education even after achieving fame. Brian May returned to complete his PhD, J.K. Rowling’s works became central to school curricula, and Alexander Graham Bell continued to teach even after inventing the telephone. These ongoing educational ties demonstrate the lasting impact of their teaching experiences.
Conclusion
At Guru At Home, we’re inspired by how these famous teachers transformed their classroom experiences into extraordinary achievements. Their journeys show that teaching develops valuable transferable skills that can lead to success in countless fields. Whether you remain in education or pursue other paths, the teaching experience provides a powerful foundation for future accomplishments. These eight individuals remind us that the impact of teaching extends far beyond the classroom, shaping not only students but also the educators themselves.
FAQs About Famous People Who Were Teachers
1. Did they teach subjects related to their future careers?
Many did – Bell taught speech before inventing the telephone, Golding taught English before writing novels, and May taught math while developing his music career.
2. How long did they teach before finding success?
Teaching durations varied widely – from Golding’s 17 years to Orwell’s brief stint of 1-2 years. Some like Rowling, developed their careers while teaching.
3. How did teaching influence their later work?
Their classroom experiences shaped their work – Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” was inspired by observing schoolboys, Rowling created a magical school in Harry Potter, and Montessori’s observations transformed education.
4. Why do many writers have teaching backgrounds?
Teaching and creative work share key requirements: subject expertise, communication skills, and creativity. Teaching also provided stable income and schedule flexibility for creative pursuits.
5. What makes teaching a good foundation for other careers?
Teaching develops transferable skills like public speaking, clear communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and resilience – all valuable across diverse fields.