Ludington teacher finds purpose in the classroom

Chaz Dila

By Kate Krieger Watkins, MCP Contributor 

LUDINGTON — Teaching was not originally part of Chaz Dila’s career plan.

The Ludington Elementary STEAM teacher initially envisioned a future that might include the Peace Corps and law school. That changed after he met the woman who would become his wife, Kristie, who was already pursuing a career in education.

“I was probably headed to the Peace Corps and then to law school after completing my degree at the University of Dallas, but that all changed when I was introduced to the person who would become my wife,” Dila said. “She was in education already, so I reevaluated my plan and decided to transfer to Aquinas College to be closer to her and work toward becoming a high school history/government teacher.”

His plans changed again after he began working as a substitute teacher.

“My early experiences as a substitute teacher led me to spend an additional semester in college to become an elementary teacher, like my mother,” he said.

Dila was born in Denver, Colo. When he was in fifth grade, his parents, both originally from the Detroit area, moved the family to West Bloomfield. He visited Ludington several times as a child while visiting his grandparents in west Michigan.

Dila earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. His bachelor’s degree is in political science with a minor in history. He later earned a master’s degree in education and his teaching credentials.

Although education eventually became his profession, Dila said school was not always his favorite place when he was growing up.

“I was not a great student,” he said. “I was pretty good at math, but not a great reader or writer. It was in college that I really started to give my full effort to my studies.”

Music played an important role during his high school years. Dila participated in symphonic, marching and pit bands and credits his band director, Mr. Batishill, with having a significant influence on him.

“He was our band director and an extremely important figure for me during those formative years,” Dila said. “I served as his teacher assistant and got to do many small jobs to help our band program. He was very patient with me.”

His father also helped shape him academically, particularly during college.

Dila said nearly every college paper he wrote was proofread by his father over the telephone. His father enjoyed writing short stories and had even written a novel.

“Our calls editing my papers turned into tutoring sessions that transformed me into the writer I am today,” Dila said.

Dila now teaches STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — to students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Ludington Elementary. He is in his seventh year in the position after previously spending many years teaching first grade.

He said one of the continuing challenges educators face is helping children navigate circumstances outside the classroom that can affect their behavior and academic performance.

“The issues affecting our children do not go away when they pass through the schoolyard gate,” Dila said. “Poverty in our community is real. Drug abuse in the home is real. Criminal activities of adults have a real impact on our kids.”

Teachers, he said, do not always know everything happening in a child’s life, but they often see the effects.

Dila said strong communication between families and schools remains one of the most important tools for helping students succeed.

“It is not easy being a parent these days, if it ever was,” he said. “Even in homes where none of the above is an issue, it is hard just to set boundaries for electronics and to make sure kids are getting outside.”

Helping children develop character can be just as important as helping them academically, he said.

“Teaching a child to be honest, hardworking and kind is not self-evident,” Dila said. “The best results are when parents and teachers are on the same page with these things.”

Despite the challenges, Dila said some of the most rewarding moments come when students overcome academic or behavioral struggles.

He recalled parent-teacher conferences early in the school year when he sometimes had to share difficult news with families.

“Sometimes there were tears,” he said. “Then those same conferences in the spring turned into a celebration.”

Dila credits interventionists, teachers and paraprofessionals with helping those students improve.

Those moments, he said, are among the reasons educators continue doing the work despite growing demands on the profession.

At the same time, Dila believes those demands, along with compensation that often trails private-sector careers, are contributing to fewer young people choosing education.

“There is a reason many universities have closed their schools of education,” he said. “Teaching has become a less attractive option.”

College is expensive, Dila said, and graduates often look for careers that provide a stronger financial return on their investment.

“Many private-sector jobs simply pay better and don’t involve spending almost an entire day surrounded by kids,” he said. “Most adults work with adults and never really get the experience of having to be ‘on’ for students all day. It’s not for everyone.”

Dila said education will always attract people who feel a strong desire to teach, but schools also need to be able to recruit talented young adults who see teaching as a financially sustainable career.

“To attract additional high-quality individuals into education, young adults need to see that there is a path toward prosperity that is commensurate with that of the private sector,” he said. “One encouraging sign is that the state of Michigan has started to take steps in the right direction.”

Outside of school, Dila enjoys spending time with his family, playing hockey and golfing.

He and Kristie have four children.

Their oldest son, Rolando, attends school in Grand Rapids. Their daughter Athena recently graduated from the University of Michigan and now works helping children in the community. Their younger daughter, Reya, is studying aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan and plays on the women’s hockey team. Their youngest son, Kai, is an ASM Tech student at West Shore Community College and participates in choir and drama productions.

Dila and his wife also enjoy attending concerts and traveling.

“Our dogs, Stella and Pearl, cover us with kisses when we return home,” he said.

After years in education, Dila said one of his greatest rewards is seeing what former students do with their lives.

“I’m proud of seeing former students finding their way in life,” he said. “I love when I run into them out in the community.”

Sometimes, he joked, neither immediately recognizes the other.

“I have a lot less hair,” Dila said.

But seeing former students grow into adulthood remains meaningful.

“I really enjoy seeing, or hearing from their parents, what they have become.”

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