The teacher spotlight of the week is Mr. Dent Holden, a World History I, psychology teacher, and former sociology teacher.
Holden grew up around Pittsburgh and attended Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, PA, where he majored in history and minored in accounting and theater.
Holden worked at PNC Bank for a few years, finding this work to be unfulfilling.
“I ran into my fifth grade teacher who suggested teaching,” Holden said. “I brushed it off at first, but the more I thought about it, the more appealing it became.
“My mother was an elementary and preschool teacher, and I’d volunteer to help with her classes once in a while. I’d also had a pretty good high school experience, and I had been involved in tutoring others in high school and college.”
Holden went back to school to pursue a teaching license and his masters degree in educational leadership at Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh.
“The most special aspect of teaching is watching students use what they learn in creative ways,” Holden said. “I find it rewarding to witness the growth of my students.”
Mr. Holden finds that emphasizing value in every lesson in class can be a great way to keep students motivated.
“In a class like World History I, there is the very direct goal of applying material to the SOL,” Holden said. “In literally any other social studies class, it’s taking what you learn and finding ways to apply it outside the classroom, whether through action or observation.”
“I hope to help students learn to analyze the world around them and apply it to what they want to achieve,” Holden said.
Holden has experienced many enlightening moments in his career, however, one certain aspect stands out to him, “My most rewarding moments are always seeing students who began the year with low expectations and low confidence successfully raise both by the end of the semester.”
“This is less of a challenge in electives like psychology or sociology, because students choose to be in those classes; however, I can lose students if the material is too challenging or if it’s not challenging enough and boredom sets in. I constantly reevaluate my psychology classes to keep the material engaging.”
“My advice to aspiring teachers is to make your expectations for the class clear from Day One and continue to re-enforce them throughout the year,” Holden said. “Be yourself when interacting with your students; they will know if you’re being performative. Only say something if you mean it and will follow through with it. Make sure everything you do in your classroom matters to you and your students.”
“My advice to students is to listen, read, don’t be a jerk,” Holden said. “That’s all you really need to get through your classes. High school is a great time to examine how you like to learn, and what you like to do, so explore those things as much as possible.”
