Throughout his years at Liberty High School, Brian Straub has not only taught social studies classes, but he has also impacted many students’ lives. He always does his best to make sure his students are learning what they need and to prepare them for the world outside of class.
He always wants the best for his students, no matter the situation, Straub stated, “Whether I am teaching Geography or US history, my goal is to make sure that students are prepared to move on to the next year and be better versions of themselves when they leave.”
Teaching can at times be overwhelming and stressful; it is inevitable. Straub said, “Every day I show up to do my best, but sometimes there is a whole lot to manage. There are classes and emails, and grading. So sometimes it is a little overwhelming.”
Straub loves his job as a teacher and cares about his students and how much they can learn. But this does not happen through a packet or slides put up on a screen. He always strives to make deep and meaningful connections with his students.
Straub stated, “I really enjoy the interactions and being a part of them, you know? Supporting people in their journey of becoming the best version of themself.”
Straub never wants them to feel as if he is distant. This is also how he feels with kids that may be categorized as “troublemakers.” When asked about how he deals with said troublemakers, he stated, “I think it is a lot about forming those connections and relationships with students.”
Straub has to deal with a diverse group of people, which may be more difficult than it seems. With so many different characters, it is difficult to teach as he has to adapt to the environment. But what makes him different from other teachers, he thinks that having a diverse cast of characters makes the classroom more interesting. He said, “Diversity in a classroom is awesome, and that is probably my favorite thing, is having a classroom where we have a lot of different types of people.”
Straub not only likes teaching itself, but he also enjoys what he teaches. He enjoys the geography setting and thinks that AP US history is a topic that is fun to teach. He believes that he can not only connect with his students through his personality but also through how he teaches.
Straub stated, “I think social studies offers a really awesome way to connect with my students. It’s a subject where you get to learn and talk about people. You get to discover more about who you are.”
