It takes inspiration, hard work, and dedication to be a teacher, all traits seen in Jason Hale, one of the new science teachers at Vallivue High School. During the previous school year, Hale was the student teacher for Mr. O’Dell, and has now become a full time teacher here at VHS.
After obtaining his teaching degree through Western Governors University and student teaching at Vallivue High School, Hale decided that this was the right place for him. He truly became a part of the Vallivue community during his time there, as he became friends with many of the staff here and is married to Mrs. Hale, another science teacher at the school.
In an interview with Hale, he talked about how he first started teaching because of his love for physics and chemistry. After studying these subjects at NNU, he said he was working jobs that were unrelated to this, and really missed those aspects of his life. He also stated that “I felt like it didn’t have any impact” which is why education sounded like a good career choice, as it would help him to “end [his] day knowing that what [he] did made a difference in the world long term.” To do this, he explained that he wants to allow students to engage in the coursework so that they “keep an open mind about the world.” His goal is to show future generations how to “see the world through a different lens” using either physics or chemistry to engage with our world and universe and acknowledging different perspectives.
These goals are achievable for Hale; however, he did explain that his biggest challenge so far has been finding ways to motivate certain students. This is because while “some students are inherently interested in science,” inspiring them to work through challenging subjects, “other students do not have a specific interest in the subject.” This is a perfect example of why Hale wants to provide them with the opportunity to learn that science is “applicable to every aspect of life” and can be an interesting way to look at the world.
So far, as Hale explained, his favorite part of teaching is “seeing the moment when a student can connect the dots” between their base understanding of something and a deeper understanding. He enjoys being able to teach them things that they can go on to do themselves. He said that seeing this process of growth is one of the most encouraging things in teaching, as he can provide an environment where they can learn through inquiry and discovery.
Overall, Hale has a desire to connect with his students in hopes of helping them see a potential future that they would not have seen otherwise, which will help him in his career and immensely benefit his students as well.
