He had always had a knack for working with kids, and with some encouragement from his mother-in-law, herself a superintendent, he sought out teaching. Now, in his first year as a science teacher at Wake Forest Charter Academy, he has found a groove, formed a good rapport with students, and fully embraced the satisfaction that only being a teacher can bring.
“You always hear that teaching is this fulfilling job, but then to actually experience it is a totally different thing,” he said. “I'd be hard-pressed to find a job where you find the kind of feeling that you can get teaching and seeing young people grow up before your eyes.
As a student, Gerber gravitated toward English and social studies but has enjoyed teaching science because of its absolutes. It’s easier for him to see progress by his students’ grasp of a certain formula, law, or real-world concept, such as a recent discussion he had relating the flow of energy through circuits to batteries in a toy.
“I like being able to explain how things work to the kids because science, it's one of the easier subjects to relate to real life,” he said. “Those light bulb moments, I think you get more of those in science.”
Gerber has quickly found that giving students a boost by letting them know that someone believes in them can be just as impactful as the lessons or skills they might learn in his classroom.
“I can certainly tell you which teachers I felt like trusted me and I trusted them, which teachers cared about me and which teachers made me feel safe but also believed in me,” he said. “That is absolutely the No. 1 thing that I want my students to get out of my class is that they have somebody in their corner that believes in them that they can trust.”
Earning trust is key, which Gerber does through open feedback boxes. If the material isn’t connecting with them or if a student is hesitant to raise their hand in the classroom, it’s another way for him to provide the instruction or support they need at Wake Forest, which has outperformed the district for seven years.
“That simple device has helped put me on their level, and that's opened the dialogue to where when something tricky is happening, it helps them trust me a little bit more,” he said.
Keep up the excellent work, Mr. Gerber!
Check out a school near you!
About Wake Forest Charter Academy
Wake Forest Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Wake Forest, North Carolina, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) 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.
Visit Wake Forest Charter Academy's blog to read more stories like this.