Many educators will agree that teaching is a calling. It takes a dedicated and passionate person to be able to influence the next generation of learners. For Ben Kubic, some might say the “call” came from “inside [his] house.”
There is simply no way to prepare for your first day as a student teacher, but Bennett “Ben” Kubic was determined to be as close as possible. “I had heard all the teaching stories from my parents, so I wasn’t scared,” said Kubic. The son of two educators, he continued the generations-long tradition of running a classroom this past spring – a foundational experience for every School of Education student.
Originally interested in Wilkes for its baseball team and close proximity to his hometown of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, Kubic arrived on campus knowing he wanted to teach. What he didn’t expect, however, was the unique opportunities he’d find outside of the classroom.
Though teaching was certain for Kubic, he struggled to choose a subject to focus on within his secondary education major. That’s when Amy Sopcak-Joseph, assistant professor of history, helped him reconnect with an old favorite.
“Students are entering such a complicated world, and having teachers who can help to clearly explain the history behind our experiences is really valuable,” noted Sopcak-Joseph, who saw Kubic’s confidence and interest in the subject grow, particularly through studying the complex history of baseball across cultures for his capstone project.
“We’re working to produce the kind of teacher who can provide K-12 students that insight and [Kubic] has become one of them,” said Sopcak-Joseph.
He also found a new way to love the sport: coaching. At Sandlot Baseball Academy in Scranton, he’s reinvigorated his passion by working with younger athletes and has a unique opportunity to coach them through their K-12 years.
“I want to see them all the way through [to their senior year],” Kubic said.
Another opportunity to lead others was encouraged by Sopcak-Joseph, when she suggested he join the e-mentor team on campus.
“Ben is a student who came in with a pretty clear sense of who he is and what he wants to do, but he was also flexible enough to grow,” said Sopcak-Joseph. “So, I saw an opportunity for him to enter a mentorship role that would help him connect to the community and practice some of his teaching skills.”
The e-mentor program pairs incoming first year as well as transfer students with upper level students who act as trusted guides throughout their time on campus. A unique Wilkes experience, this pairing allows for older students to support new students in both their academic and personal growth.
Kubic connected with incoming students and supported their transition into college. “We kept in touch and I was able to calm some of their fears,” Kubic said.
Bob Richards, an adjunct in the education department and educator for more than 30 years, has seen his fair share of teachers launched from the School of Education at Wilkes. As Kubic’s other campus mentor, he’s had the opportunity to work with him throughout most of his academic career, beginning with an online course during Kubic’s first year.
“When we returned to campus, he was the first student I ran into and he shook my hand,” Richards said, noting Kubic’s professionalism and kindness. “History students are impressive content specialists,” said Richards, emphasizing that Kubic is no exception, as he made creative, interactive projects paired with creative lessons in his education courses.
“The education department at Wilkes is a unified front and we work together to show students the best teaching practices–[Kubic] has really embodied them,” said Richards, applauding Kubic’s teaching style which follows a “hands-on, minds-on” philosophy.
When Kubic began his student teaching placement this semester, he found himself in familiar territory at Abington Heights Middle School, his alma mater. In addition to coaching their junior varsity baseball team, he’s training alongside the very educators that helped nurture his love of history and learning.
