Name: Brad Kolar
School: Willowbrook Middle School, South Beloit
What do you teach?: 6 & 7th grade science
Years active as a teacher: 3

1. What would the students be surprised to find out about you?

Something I think students would be surprised to find out about me, is that I used to be in a band! I love classic rock and I enjoy playing guitar and singing. I think that my stage personality certainly makes its way into my classroom in many facets. I hope that one day our school will have a teacher band to showcase our talents!

2. If you could pass on any wisdom to your students, what would you share?

When it comes to wisdom, I actually take a day out of the year (we work on period schedules) to go over some thoughts and wisdom before my students move onto their next levels of Middle School or High School. During these periods, I share one major piece of wisdom about the rest of their educational career. I tell them that as they progress through their educational careers, they will have speed bumps along the way. There may be situations that create tension or struggle, but ultimately the people and the materials that will present themselves are there for a reason. Even the largest struggle with motivation can be solved by realizing “I am here for a reason.” I take a moment every year to tell all of my students that they were put here for a reason. They are the future of our world and I am excited to see what they bring to it!

3. If you won the lottery and decided to give up teaching, what would you do instead?

If I won the lottery, I would most likely not give up teaching. I think that it certainly would make that amazing house mortgage go away, but I pursued this career for a reason and I dont see myself doing anything else but education! Upon further review, maybe a trip or more to a tropical warm place would be part of my year, but certainly education would be the bulk of my time!

4. What kind of student were you?

When I was in school, I truly believe that I was not much different than I am now. I enjoyed most subjects in school, but more importantly enjoyed getting to know the teachers who taught them and sharing that interest throughout my schooling. I try as a middle school teacher to create those meaningful relationships that students will remember as they make their way through our school. I think that without the relationship aspect of school, there is a real difficult divide between reality and school. We as a society thrive on socialization and relationships. It creates that true authentic connection between students and their education. My goal as a teacher is to bring that connection to light and show students that if you start early, it can resonate through you as you make your way into the real world.

5. How do you think students will remember you and your class?

Remembering a science class has to be one of the most straightforward things to do. First day of school, light all of your lab tables on fire. I don’t think that view of my class will ever get old! I even included a picture of this in my profile! I was approached at local stores, school gatherings and just about any place near the school by parents when they realized that I was their child’s science teacher. As I mentioned above, I strive to provide students with experiential learning at both levels that I teach. Without experiencing science in real life, we cannot make the middle school legacy meaningful.

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