Welsh originally went to school studying criminal justice. When that didn’t work out, he remembered one of his first jobs in high school as a summer camp counselor. He had fond memories of interacting with younger kids and being a role model and was told by friends and family that they could see him having a career as a teacher.
In his time of career ambiguity, he saw a position for science teacher at Southside Academy Charter School and remembered that science was one of his favorite subjects in school. Four years later, it turned out to be the best decision he could have made.
“I'm very grateful that Southside’s giving me this opportunity because I’ve truly I think fallen into the career that I want to pursue the rest of my life,” he said.
Welsh now is in his first year teaching math, another subject he enjoyed as a student. After helping students with math intervention, he welcomed a new challenge.
He is happy that it allows him to have the same students every day as opposed to alternating between seventh and eighth grade teaching science. With continuity has come growth, both academically and in his rapport with students at Southside, which has outperformed the district for 14 years.
“It’s quicker to build relationships because they see me every single day and the routines, the procedures, everything,” he said. “It’s a lot easier and it happened a lot quicker rather than just waiting until halfway through the first quarter or even at times at the end of first quarter. That’s what I’m appreciating the most: the relationships and the progress I’ve seen throughout the first five weeks of school.”
Welsh strives for growth by instilling routines that give students good habits to lean on and build their confidence. He has found that something as simple as a morning greeting each day can improve a student’s mood, break down a metaphorical wall that was previously only met with acrimony, and form the beginnings of a harmonious learning environment.
The 180-degree change in a student’s behavior, from once failing to being ready for high school, is surreal but always incredibly gratifying.
“I think one of my bigger strengths is just building relationships with my students,” Welsh said. “If I can build good, positive relationships with my students, then by the end of the year, we’re going to have a really good time together.”
Keep up the excellent work, Mr. Welsh!
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About Southside Academy Charter School
Southside Academy Charter School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Syracuse, New York, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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