High school is one of the most delicate times of a person’s life. It can be impacted by the smallest circumstances like friendship, workloads, and even extracurricular activities.
Most importantly, students are extremely impacted by their teachers. Here’s how an English teacher at Prior Lake High School sets students up for success for the last four years of their K-12 education.
Jacob Drube is a beloved English teacher here at Prior Lake High School, and students find success within his class because of his different approaches and his teaching methods.
Mr. Drube has been teaching for 5 years and teaches grades 9 and 10 English. Because Drube teaches the two youngest grades, his actions and his classroom environment are vital to creating a positive base for his students as they continue their education after his class.
Mr. Drube said he values “the connections I make the most.” He takes time to get to know every single student and has students do things like write down hobbies and interests on notecards at the beginning of the school year.
This connection with each student allows him to help those who may be struggling, timid, or simply falling behind.
PLHS Junior student Kyndra Segler said, “I was expecting teachers to be more strict than they actually are. Drube made class more fun, and instead of just teaching lessons and giving students work time, he’d actually connect with the class.”
The connections that he creates allow students to feel comfortable and like they have an easily approachable teacher. Within his class, students feel open to ask questions and express opinions and ideas.
While the connections Drube makes with his students are a vital part of his success as a teacher, students also brought up another reason they feel they’ve had success in his class.
Another Junior at PLHS, Lauren Glynn said, “He talks to his students as if they’re the same as him, like he’s not more than or on a higher level than them. He also goes out of his way to make sure students are okay, and he finds topics to bond with you over.”
Mr. Drube has created an environment where students don’t feel intimidated by his authority but, instead, they feel a sense of connection and belonging with their teacher.
To further grow connections and students’ comfort, Drube talks about his hobbies and common interests. He likes sports, especially baseball. His favorite music artists consist of Miley Cyrus (especially Miley Cyrus and her Dead Petz album), Harry Styles, and Olivia Rodrigo. Drube also is a dad to Nora and a husband. It’s clear to his students that he finds so much joy with his family.
Even expressing little interests like those allows students to see their teacher as less of an intimidating authority figure and helps them understand that their teacher is just a real person like them.
Mr. Drube also understands how deep the impact of his teaching can be because he himself was impacted by teachers, and they set him up to become who he is now.
He, too, was scared to enter high school and felt intimidated by the thought of high school due to expectations set by his older siblings, but when he entered, he was met with open arms by great teachers.
Mr. Drube has done an incredible job at being one of those teachers he needed, but now he does the same for his own students. He gives incoming freshmen and other students not only a safe and positive learning environment but also a new connection they can depend on.
So as Jacob Drube continues his teaching journey, his students will continue their lives, forever cherishing the connections and learning they gained from his classroom.