Fab Educator: Jon VandeWettering
Jon VandeWettering (a k a Mr. VW) is a third-grade teacher at New Directions Learning Community in Kaukauna.
How long have you been teaching? I’ll be beginning my fourth year as a teacher.
What inspired you to be a teacher? My family has a long line of history in education, so you could say it’s in the blood. When I got on campus in college, I was not going for Education at first but going back after winter break my freshman year I knew I wanted to pursue education. It was after a conversation with my mom that I knew I was called to teach to try and make an impact and difference in students’ lives.
What is your greatest joy in teaching? My greatest joy in teaching is going into the classroom every day knowing I have the opportunity to make that students day the best it can be when they are at school. It’s such a rewarding feeling knowing we have the power and opportunity as teachers to try and achieve that.
What about your greatest challenge? My greatest challenge as an educator I would have to say is trying not to fall into the mental trap of teacher fatigue. That involves so many variables, but when every single day you take on the weight of making an impact on every student in your classroom, knowing that for some of those students it will be the best part of their day or the safest part of their day. While outside people not in education want to comment on teachers’ hours or “summers off” knowing the compensation for being a teacher is not the most glamorous package, it can just start to wear and try to tear you down, making you wonder is it even worth it. That’s where the greatest joy in teaching has to be at the forefront because if it’s not, that’s where you see strong teachers leaving the field for opportunity elsewhere, usually salary-related.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic altered your day-to-day as an educator? Outside of mitigation practices or virtual quarantines, we were masked-up in person. As a classroom last year, we took on the mantra of “Get To” so we get to come to school today and be great. In reality, it just came down to mindset, and just pivot on some things we were maybe used to in the past, and let’s make the best of the opportunity we have at hand to be our best self today and move forward.
If a student can have only one takeaway from time spent in your classroom, what would it be? I hope that students in my classroom know that they are valued and loved. That when they walk out of the classroom, they feel like that they have the tools to persevere, have confidence in themselves and that they know the impact of treating people with respect and empathy can have not only on the people around them but themselves.