Gym class is a good class to keep students engaged and active. Teaching gym class seems super entertaining. Today I decided to interview Mr. Pope, who teaches high schoolers at New Hartford Central School District.
Mr. Pope is retiring after 34 years of teaching. I decided to interview him and ask some questions about his experience.
MJ: What is some advice you would give to future gym teachers?
Mr. Pope: I believe that it is a great job, but you have to love it and love kids– all the good and not so good things about them. Remember that ultimately it is a job of service, not about you. You are not just teaching a certain subject, but you are there to help them and guide them through a formidable part of their life. Whatever you can do to make that a good experience, you should try to do so. Care. Care as much as you can, and set your own rules and policies around that. I think that kids can then honor and appreciate that and feel respected, even if you don’t always see eye to eye.
I really like his response. He shows that his job isn’t just teaching kids but having a good connection also with them this makes him a good strong teacher.
MJ: How long have you been working at New Hartford High School?
Mr. Pope: 34 years. 1992-93 school year was my first year. For reference, Mr. McNair was a senior that year!
MJ: What’s your favorite unit to teach?
Mr. Pope: I used to love the Handball / Swim Unit. Now, I think I enjoy teaching the lifts in the weight room.
MJ: What’s the biggest challenge you have faced?
Mr. Pope: Challenges are small compared to the positives overall. Sometimes people try to make the challenges bigger than the upside. I have tried hard not to do that. In that respect, the positives far outweigh the challenges, and the challenges are just something that comes along so you can learn from them and make your situation better in the long run. If you feel like you are not going to, or shouldn’t face any, you are mistaken!
Mr. Pope’s responses show he learned lots of lessons and answered my questions wisely. He shows that he cares for his students and his job. For students that are thinking about going into education his responses will help give an idea what you will need to prepare for. Mr. Pope offers current and future students good advice.
