Daniel Massman teaches junior and senior-level English—language arts, English composition, journalism, and communication. In our interview, he shares his philosophy of teaching and why he teaches. His goal is to help students tell their own stories, and he spends most of his time in the classroom working individually with students and teaching them the skills they will need in the future in the careers they choose. It’s all about empowerment.
It’s interesting and fun to get the people in the Knoxville School District to open up as to why they do what they do, and Mr. Massman does. He also shares a wonderful success story about working with a student.
Listen and you will hear that he finds joy in teaching. Here is our interview:
I was able to observe students at West Elementary and the High School watch the eclipse!
Mr. Moats shows students how to use the telescope above.
Judd Nelson, Verlin Goodyk, and Angela Nelson (left to right)
Judd, Verlin, and Angela are community heroes. Angela is Student Services Coordinator for the Knoxville School District. When I asked her to tell me about hunger in the district, she suggested that we bring in Judd and Verlin because the organizations they work with serve to feed not only hungry kids, but their families too. Judd is the Pastoral Care Pastor at Celebrate Church, and Verlin is with the Knoxville Food Youth Initiative and runs the school food shelf.
Angela works with “at risk” students. With staff help, she identifies the kids who look like they may not graduate and then works with them to find out what factors in their lives may be contributing to the situation and get them the resources they need to succeed.
Some kids are homeless, and some don’t have an adult in their lives and are still doing their best to get to school and graduate.
But it’s more than graduation—Angela works with Tyler Pearson, College and Career Readiness Coordinator and other staff—to do their best to put the kids on the career path that will help them be successful in life.
I learned in our interview that in our society the majority of people are one or two paychecks away from financial trouble and that we shouldn’t judge others. We may never know the circumstances that brought them to where they are, and we or a member of our family might be next in line to need help.
They also tell me that all of us can be a part of helping lift people up. Please listen to learn more about what Angela, Verlin and Judd and their organizations do, and how WE can help.
Here is our interview:
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