Photo by Nick Girolami, photo and web editor
By Shelbey Guarino, staff writer
Doing what makes one happy is the route worth taking. Jeff Lindstrom, the new special education teacher, had a situation very similar to this one.
“I just wanted to make sure I did what was right for me,” he said, about switching careers to become a teacher.
Husband and father to a 2-month old, Lindstrom, decided to come to Plainwell, partly because his wife is an alumni, but mostly because there was an opening at the time for co-teaching. This means that he is in another classroom teaching alongside the content instructor. There is coaching and much support from the administration.
Previously, Lindstrom went to Western Michigan University to be a chemical engineer, “I hated it,” he says.
Afterwards, he decided to major in special education and minor in chemistry. Before coming to Plainwell he was a long term sub at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo.
He says there is some obvious pressure to fill the shoes of Stephaney Eberhard, the special education teacher preceding him. But mainly, “I put pressure on myself.”
Much like Eberhard, who reached out to students other than her own, Lindstrom has hopes of meeting general education students as well. In doing so, he hopes to form bonds and create a positive impact on them. Even if it is “harder to meet other students from around the school.”
Being a first year teacher is obviously hard work, “There is always extra time needed to do things for the first time,” he says.
However, even with his busy workload, Lindstrom has loved working with the students and staff.
He says his attributes include; being a good listener and having the ability to build strong relationships with his students.
“I try to make my instruction engaging and fun,” he adds.
His advice to his students and the ones not under his leadership is this, “You grow up faster than you think. So do whatever you can to get ready to be an adult.”
Lindstrom is looking forward to getting more involved. “Specifically [with] extra curriculars, coaching, and leading clubs,” he says.
