New Year, New Teachers

Here at the Cougar Courier we have come to appreciate the new teachers in the building: Mr. Kratz, Mr. Rabbitt, and Mr. Daniels.

In an interview we had with Mr. Goho we learned how the teachers were hired and the qualifications they had that made them suitable candidates for the position of official teachers here at NPHS.

Reporter: What prompted you to hire these three teachers?

Goho: What prompted me was that they had very impressive interviews that talked about 21st century teaching strategies, had good classroom management, and cared about the well-being of the students. That’s what we look for in an interview when it comes to hiring.

Reporter: Did you ever have any close encounters with any of these teachers (Kratz, Rabbitt, or Daniels) that helped you better understand their character?

Goho: I’ve only known them for about a month or so but the thing I have come to learn about Mr. Rabbitt that was sort of funny but at the same time showed us a lot about his character is the fact that he has been subbing for us for about five years. Once we put him in a science class to sub and even though he is a social studies teacher he was still able to take control of the class and teach. He really did a fantastic job, I think of this as pretty funny but it also shows his commitment to teaching and we at NPHS find that pretty great.

We also had a interview with Mr.Rabbitt. We learned about his history with subbing and why he started teaching in the first place.

Reporter: What made you want to be a teacher?

Rabbitt: Wow! I didn’t know this was gonna be such a deep question. Well for one, my mother was a teacher and she has always been a personal hero of mine and I guess in a way I am following in her foot steps. I’ve always admired my mother, there is no one I admire more than my mother. The second reason I wanted to be a teacher is because I didn’t really know where I fit in, in the modern economy. I wasn’t driven by money, nor was I really competitive enough in the sense that I need to be successful in some multi-billion dollar company. So I came to the realization that I want to serve my community, through public education.

Reporter: When did you start teaching?

Rabbitt: I feel as though I started teaching even as a young boy because I was the oldest of three brothers. My parents were fairly young when they had me and my brothers, so my father would work late shifts and my mother was going to school to be a teacher so  when she became a teacher and she had the job of raising us four and then with my father working late I found myself looking after my brothers. So in a way I’ve felt like I’ve been teaching all my life. I entered the profession of teaching in 2010 as a substitute teacher. After finishing my undergraduate degree I was working in a law firm and I was trying to decide if I wanted to become a lawyer. After working as a paralegal for a couple year I realized that I really didn’t want to do it. So I went back to school to get a degree in education and that was around the time I started substitute teaching.

Reporter: How long have you been subbing at NPHS?

Rabbitt: I started subbing in the whole North Providence school district, all grades, at the end of 2009.

Reporter: So this was the first place that you started subbing for?

Rabbitt: Yes. I actually subbed in Pawtucket and East Providence for a short time but I lived in North Providence so it was just easier for me to stay local.

Reporter: What made you want to be an official teacher here at NPHS?

Rabbitt: Well working here as I did with all the different grades, I really felt like a part of a community in a way that I never did even in my own home town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I would sub a boy named Joey in 7th grade, and then I’d sub Joey’s brother in the 3rd grade, and Joey’s cousin in 10th grade so I’d walk down the street and all I’d here would be Mr. Rabbitt, Mr. Rabbitt, MR. RABBITT! Everybody knew me and it was really cool so when I finally got the chance to work here full time, it sounds cheesy, but to me it was like a dream come true.

Reporter: What are you looking forward to as a teacher this year?

Rabbitt: The thing that I’m really looking forward to is the growth of my students, especially my freshman because I am so impressed from the beginning not only by how smart and mature they are, but also by how enthusiastic they are to learn. Western Civilization is a new subject for me, I’ve never taught it. My master’s degree was always focused on American History so the stuff that I’m teaching, I’m researching alongside the freshman. That makes me very excited to see where the freshman will end up because the sky is the limit.

Reporter: Do you have any last words for the teachers and students you will be working alongside this year?

Rabbitt: To the students I would like to say that I know that sometimes school can be a really serious and stressful place so just know not to take everything too seriously so you don’t stress yourself out. Instead of being serious all the time try to be sincere and have fun, mean what you say, and mean what you do.

Reporter: And to the teachers?

Rabbitt: I want to thank everybody for the way they welcomed me into the school as a substitute for the past five years and how much they helped me and my family during a time of need. I’ll never forget it because it touched my heart. I’m extremely thankful to be a part of this team.

This year we have extremely wonderful teachers who are part of our team here at NPHS. Each in different fields and each changing the way our students will go into the world. We all want to wish all three of you (Kratz, Rabbitt, and Daniels) Good luck and have a great year!