Gurnee

Suburban middle school teacher sets remarkable world record

“You have to be patient with students – it is not a job – it is a life style.”

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Choosing a career can be a difficult decision for some people, but not for long-time teacher Paul Durietz. Regina Waldroup shares his story.

Choosing a career can be a difficult decision for some people, but not for long-time teacher Paul Durietz.

By age 11, he was absolutely certain he wanted to be a social studies teacher.

I would talk with my father who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and he got a Purple Heart,” he said. “He would tell me all his war experiences…that got me going.”

It was Sept. 1970 when Paul first walked into a classroom at Woodland Middle School in Gurnee.Richard Nixon was president and to make copies, Paul had to use something called a Ditto machine.

“Vietnam was still going on, it was a crazy time,” he said

Now, at age 76, Paul is still teaching at Woodland.

“It just keeps you going because you never know what to expect every day.”

Guinness World Records has named Paul the longest working social studies teacher in the world, with 53 years on the job. The honor took him by surprise.

“In fact, I didn’t believe it at first,” he said.

Paul’s love of history and teaching has inspired former students to follow in his footsteps. One of his daughters even became a teacher, but has since retired, something that Paul has no intention of doing any time soon.

His advice to aspiring teachers: have lots of passion and patience.

“You have to be patient with students – it is not a job – it is a lifestyle," he said.

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