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The male influence

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Tom McClimon, an eighth-grade history teacher at Fort Dodge Middle School, left, assists Caden Towlerton, 14, a eighth-grader at FDMS, recently.

John Newman and Tom McClimon both became teachers because of strong male influences they had in their lives growing up.

“As I look through my life, some of the most influential people were male role models, either teachers or coaches in school,” McClimon said.

Newman found his role model when he was a freshman in high school.

“My ninth-grade science teacher got me onto the right path of realizing the importance of a good education and doing things better,” Newman said.

The two are hoping to have a similar impact on the eighth-grade students they teach at Fort Dodge Middle School.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Calvin Lyon, 14, an eighth-grader at Fort Dodge Middle School, left, works with John Newman, an eighth science teacher, at the school recently.

McClimon teaches American history, while Newman teaches science.

“There is a shortage of positive male role models in today’s society,” McClimon said. “Anytime a school can provide that for a young man or young woman, that’s a plus.”

Newman is in his 12th year teaching in Fort Dodge.

He said when he first started there were about three male teachers at the middle school, but that number has gone up.

“For whatever reason there are more male teachers at the high school than there are here,” he said.

The ones who teach at the middle school have done a great job, according to McClimon, who is in his second year at FDMS.

“They are here because they care,” he said.

In his experience, Newman said the best strategy with students is pretty straightforward.

“Be up front and honest,” Newman said. “Especially in eighth grade. They know when they are being fed a line. I’ve always found it’s best just being honest.”

While specific lessons in the classroom are important, Newman said it’s also important to let students know you’re there.

“We may joke around, but we care about them being successful,” Newman said. “At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important is letting kids know that you care and you want them to be successful.”

McClimon focuses his lessons on real world connections.

“I find they learn more when they understand the relevance,” he said. “Seeing that connection to the outside world.”

Newman said in the last couple years, that focus has increased.

“Across the district, we have been more mindful of connections to the real world,” Newman said. “We have a ways to go, but we are getting there.”

One particular project in Newman’s science class focused on inventions to improve the environment.

Newman modeled the project after “Shark Tank,” a popular television show where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a group of investors in hopes of landing a deal.

The format brought out some innovative ideas.

“Sometimes when you open it up like that it can be very chaotic,” Newman said. “But there were kids who were on fire. They were coming up with some ideas, I couldn’t even comprehend some of them.”

One student built a complete model engine.

“It was really neat,” Newman said. “Kids that haven’t been engaged before were all the sudden at it.”

One challenge is helping kids focus, which Newman understands himself.

“I really like science because there’s an opportunity to do more active things,” Newman said. “I have a hard time sitting still myself.”

Newman said he’s in favor of adding recess at all levels of school.

“Kids have so much energy, I wonder if they should reinstitute recess,” he said. “Recess would just burn off some of that excess energy.”

McClimon enjoys the perspective middle-school-aged kids bring.

“I like being around young people because they are happy and hopeful a lot of times,” he said. “They have their whole lives in front of them. If they can take one thing out of my class and use it somewhere in their life, that’s awesome.”

Newman said the ultimate satisfaction is seeing students understand.

“Seeing a kid who doesn’t think he can be successful, be successful. Seeing a kid realize they can do something is really neat.”

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