AP Psychology and online teacher Danielle Redman was inspired to become a teacher because of a poster.
On her AP U.S. History teacher’s wall was a quote from Howard Zinn reading, “You can’t be neutral on a moving train.”
This single sentence, in conjunction with the powerful lessons and influential teaching style that the teacher brought to the table, sparked Redman’s interest in teaching.
“He was really fantastic,” Redman said. “He was passionate about the subject and made the course really interesting. He was not afraid to push us in our thoughts and opinions. Our world is constantly moving, so we cannot be neutral; we have to take a stance.”
This quote and fashion of teaching showed Redman the invaluable lessons that carry across all subjects and how education can make a difference in one’s life and opinions.
A frequent demotivator in school for students is the idea that nothing in their classes will help them later on in life. However, Redman structures her lessons so students feel that each of their lessons can be applied somewhere later on.
“I’m really loving the AP Psychology course—it’s really fun,” Redman said. “I try to make connections in what we’re learning to our everyday world. In psychology, I think students can find examples in their everyday lives for everything we talk about.
Along with implementing lessons into what students will encounter in their future, Redman has shaped and embraced her own form of teaching that centers around challenging her students to achieve the best that they can.
Her hope is to be engaging and personable while being informative and setting up her students for success. Because of this, one of the most memorable moments that Redman experienced during her teaching career was when she watched the class of 2013 graduate.
“The class of 2013 was a really special class to me because I taught a huge chunk of them freshman, junior, and senior year,” Redman said. “They were a special group and my first graduating class.”
The reason that the class of 2013 stuck out to Redman was because of the bonds she could forge with the students, which is at the crux of Redman’s teaching philosophy.
Through her own experiences with high school teachers, Redman has recognized that bonds with students are one of the most valuable things that a teacher can offer in their classrooms as both a way to lend a helping hand and a compassionate shoulder.
“[Building relationships] creates another way to motivate students,” Redman said. “It’s important that everyone feels special and that they’re loved at school. I hope that everyone feels that they can be successful and has someone to chat with.”
Redmond has experienced many different educational settings from being taught in Oregon to becoming a teacher herself in Texas, giving her a variety of experience in how to bond with her students.
Making the move from Texas to Michigan would give many a bit of a culture shock, but for Redman, this only showed her how similar students are all across the country in their needs and what makes a successful classroom.
With this above-and-beyond depth that Redman has with her students, it is no surprise that she has found a home teaching at FHC. Her enthusiasm for her subject content and passion for helping students is one that makes her a dedicated and valuable teacher.
“[I love] the community [at FHC],” Redman said. “Everyone has been so wonderful. I hope to be here for a long, long time.”
