U.S. History teacher John Brady was recently named Bob Graham Education Center’s 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year.
In his eleventh year as a teacher at the school, Brady’s philosophy for teaching his 8th graders is for his students to know more about the subject than he did leaving middle school and high school.
He feels the United States has fallen back in understanding how the American system works and how the country got to that point.
“The subject matters,” he said. “I want my students to see it as easy as I see it. Yes, there is a purpose to why we study history and how we can learn from it when it repeats itself, but also how these people are just so interesting because they are complex human beings.”
Brady added: “On the first day of school, I ask my students what they think they won’t like about U.S. History? The answer I get the most is they don’t like dates. I tell them neither do I so I write the word ‘History’ nice and big on the board and tell them to underline the word ‘story’ in it. That’s what it’s about for me.”
Brady has also had the pleasure of working with the students in BGEC’s Bobcat Law Society. He said his Political Science degree from Florida International University has served him well in helping his colleagues in the program teach and prepare the students in the classroom and for competitions.
Brady said every teacher should have the honor of working with such dedicated students, and he expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the staff and faculty for their love and support since his tenure at the school.
“It’s the best place I’ve ever worked at,” he said.
He also extended his gratitude to the students.
‘I have learned as much from them as they have hopefully learned from me,” he said.
He thanked his parents for helping him achieve his goal. “I owe it all to them for anything I have ever accomplished in my professional and personal life,” he said.