Robert Prokopchak

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held? Please include the current school district and grade/s.

I graduated with a bachelors degree in secondary education in 2021. My first teaching certification is in mid-level science. In my first year of teaching, I taught general science to 8th graders at Morningside Middle School, Charleston County School District, South Carolina. In my second year of teaching, I long-term subbed at Slippery Rock school district, where I taught 7th & 8th grade science, and high school BCIT in the Fall of 2022; I then taught 11th and 12th grade honors environmental science in the Spring of 2023 at Butler High. For this school year, I teach 7th grade science at McKeesport School District.

2. Name one SRU experience, in general or specific to the field, that you will never forget and explain why.

 

During the Fall of 2020, all SRU classes were online because of the pandemic. One of my classes was about the science of climate change, which was a life altering experience in and of itself. I'll never forget, though, when I took my laptop out in to the woods hiking to alleviate the cabin fever I was suffering from, and engaged in class Zoom sessions while sitting under a tree. One of the few times I did that, it started snowing. So, it was quite a thing to be studying the climate while outside enjoying the climate!

 

3. Name an SRU faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

I'll have to name Dr. Mark Hogue as an SRU faculty member that had a positive influence on me. I think the first time I met him, I was taking an intro to education course in my second year at SRU. I had worked in a public school for 11 years as a technology specialist, and I thought I knew enough about education to feel kind of funny taking an introductory class like that. I was wrong. The way that he taught the class and responded to my questions filled me with the knowledge gained from his experience in the field. Wisdom that I could only have imagined. I had him for a few classes since then, and have sought his advice on occasion; and to this day Dr. Hogue is still a source of knowledge and wisdom to me.

 

4. What initially piqued your interest in pursuing a degree in education?

My interest in teaching was piqued after I had worked in a school district long enough to see the variety of teachers in the field, and how some of the behind the scenes stuff in public education works. I hadn't been a very good student when I was in high school, and I wanted to try to go back to help inspire people like me to learn. After I had spent time in a professional capacity with really good and less-than-great teachers, some of whom I had for a teacher myself in the past, I felt that I wanted to join those great teachers and give the other ones some competition.

 

5. What do you love most about teaching?

The thing I love most about teaching is when, days after the lesson, students can discuss and elaborate about things they learned.

 

6. What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher is one who has great patience, and constantly remembers that they are there to teach students and help them grow, rather than just teach a particular subject.