At Archbishop Spalding, we have a wide variety of teachers and teaching styles. Many teachers create solid bonds and influence the students for years after their time in high school. One teacher in particular, who has been known to stand in the hallway yelling about uniform policy or make sarcastic jokes to his students about somewhat controversial topics he probably should not talk about, stands out as a teacher who truly cares for the students and the people at this school.
Below are the questions I asked Mr. Yates concerning his high school experience, his life decisions, and his advice for us as students now.
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- What inspired you to become a teacher, and why did you choose to teach at the high school level?
I know this is hard to believe, but I wasn’t a great student in high school. I was a little bit of a “class clown” and never had good grades. In my junior year, I took a morality class with a teacher named Mr. Farrell, who changed my life. He made class fun, engaging, and interactive. He was the first teacher who made me realize that education isn’t just about your grades; it is about being curious and skeptical about the world around you. Mr. Farrell was also a teacher that you could go to for advice about anything. I chose to teach high school because I remember how scary and exciting high school could be, and I wanted to help students through that in the same way Mr. Farrell helped me.
- Describe your teaching philosophy.
These are such interesting questions. My teaching philosophy is to make things exciting and relatable. I want students to realize why literature is important instead of just telling you it is important. If you can connect with a subject, you will see it in your everyday life. I also try to have an open and fun classroom where students can question me and ask questions about what they’re learning. I think questioning your teachers, politicians, and all authority figures is integral to education.
- What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of teaching?
That’s a really complicated question. There are so many parts of teaching that are rewarding. I love it when students figure out a new concept. I love it when I can help students who are struggling. I love just the smallest interactions with students. Every day is a reward. I think the most rewarding part of teaching is everything about teaching.
- How do you keep students motivated?
I try to keep students engaged and motivated by making education interesting. I always try to put myself in their shoes and ask myself if I would have found my class interesting. I know that not everyone who walks in my door enjoys or even values reading, so I try to find something they can connect with personally in the pieces we read in my class.
- What advice would you give to a high school student?
Oh boy, that’s a tough one! I would say a few things. The first and most important thing is to stay curious. And I don’t even mean about school! I mean, in general, be curious about everything around you. Question everything about everything and never stop asking questions. The second thing I’d say is to do what you love. I wasted too much of my life chasing things that don’t matter, and I want them to know that doing what makes you happy is the most important thing. And the last thing I would say is that failure is knowledge. Most people are terrified of failure, and as someone who has failed a lot, I try to learn something from each failure.
- Do you have any role models?
There are so many role models! My mom has been a teacher her whole life and would buy me books or take me to the library when we couldn’t afford books. My dad inspired me with his knowledge of everything and my love of being on the water. My four siblings inspire me with their humor and how much they love me, even though I’m pretty difficult to love. My wife, Meaghan, is one of the funniest and smartest people I know, and she puts up with the pain of being married to an eccentric and stressed-out teacher. Growing up, I also had teachers who inspired me with their love for their subjects and students (Ms. Kramme, Mrs. McEvoy, and Mr. Farrell). And finally, Carl Sagan was a famous scientist, teacher, and writer who inspired me to be more skeptical about the world around me and to question authority.
- Can you share a memorable story from your teaching career where you felt you significantly impacted a student’s life or learning experience?
What always impacts me is when students tell me years later how much they enjoyed my class. I often hold myself to an impossible standard when it comes to teaching, and I constantly feel like a failure as a teacher. But when students tell me later how much my class meant to them or how I made them feel more confident or more comfortable, it makes me cry every time (I’m a big crier!). I’ve held on to every email and note that students have ever given me, and I read them during the summer just to remember that I’ve made a small difference. Just knowing I made a tiny impact on someone’s life is enough to make me happy.
