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Unexpected Courses in a Promising

Direction

An Interview with Ryan Gardner

Interviewed by Caragain Potts

About Ryan Gardner continues to be a challenge throughout a teacher’s
career. He belief is that teaching is hard and if a
Ryan Gardner is a husband and father to six teacher really cares, it is exhausting.
children. He attended Brigham Young University in
Provo, Utah and graduated with a bachelors degree in
Curriculum and Instruction. He started his teaching
career as a high school seminary teacher in Utah and
eventually became the Seminary President at the high
school. Currently, he is a Religious Educator at
Brigham Young University—Idaho.

When did you decide you wanted to teach?

It was not always his intention to be a teacher

until he reached high school. Ryan contributes part of

his desire to teach to the teachers he had as a high

school student. One of the most influential moments

he can recall was watching the movie Dead Poet

Society, starring Robin Williams, in one of his classes

in high school. His goal in teaching is to make “an

impact on the lives of others.” When Ryan first decid-

ed he wanted to teach, he intended to teach high What characteristics do you feel make a successful
school English and Seminary as well as be a basket- teacher?
ball coach. He did become a high school Seminary

teacher but being an English teacher and basketball Ryan believes that there are “three R’s” to

coach fell to the side. teaching: reflective, responsive, and receptive. He

What is something that surprised you about being expounds on the “three R’s” that a teacher reflects on
a teacher? the curriculum, responsive to students needs, and
respective to the Spirit. Quoting Barbara Walvoord, a
Ryan said, “I was not prepared for how often teaching should be “conversational, clear, and caring.”
you get sick in the first year of teaching.” He A good teacher cares about their students, but a great
counseled to take lots of Vitamin C as a first year teacher builds a relationship with their students.
teacher. Another challenge that Ryan found was how Along with these characteristics, a teacher is
difficult it was to prepare lessons. A colleague once dedicated and devoted to their students. Ryan believes
said the teachers always followed by “the shadow” that if a teacher builds and applies these attributes,
that is preparing the next lesson. Preparing lessons that they will be teaching their students the right way.

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