New Providence High School is a place where most students look to find what they want to do in life. Majors are decided and careers are set in place. For one of New Providence’s teachers, their life passion was decided in that exact time in his life, High School. Inspired by his High School and Elementary teachers Mr. Arnold started to develop an interest in the field of teaching.

Mr. Arnold is a history teacher in the school and specializes in US history 1. He also is the Cross Country head coach during the fall. During that fall season the amount of work definitely picks up. Mr. Arnold says he somewhat benefits from the crowded schedule however.  He is a firm believer that busy people get more work done. And there’s definitely plenty of work, especially on late nights after meets. When comparing the two Mr. Arnold said that school definitely takes up more of his time. The paperwork is definitely the hardest part of teaching he said.  Grading tests and papers takes up a ton of time. Pair that with a long cross country meet after school and you get a little amount of time to try and get a lot of work done. 

Judging from how he answered many of the questions, I think Mr. Arnold is just fine with the work though. When asked which one he prefers more Arnold answered “both”. On some days he enjoys that lesson more but on others there’s a fun cross country practice or successful meet. No matter how that day goes he enjoys doing both. Mr. Arnold likes coaching activities because it gives students a different side of him. When teaching there’s that awkward feel that the relationship from student and teacher is forced, but after school and with activities students can relate and connect with a coach easier.  Mr. Arnold also thinks that his cross country runners learn a very important skill while running that they can take into the classroom.

Routine is key, Arnold told me. He said routine is crucial in both Cross Country and school. In Cross Country runners learn routine by training and practicing for a run, and the whole season is an effort to improve times. Routine is obviously key in school as well. Managing your homework with your football practice and family dinner and the occasional dog sit would be very difficult if you did it all in a different order every day. 

Mr. Arnold does have a favorite lesson to teach though: the Constitution. Mr. Arnold believes this lesson brings out the ideas of his students when they talk about what is actually in the Constitution, and the fact its still in current events brings in student interest. Current interest is something rare to find in a history class. Mr. Arnold says he wishes there was more time on that unit and believes you could teach a whole year on the Constitution. The Civil War is also something Arnold gets extra excited about when teaching. 

Mr. Arnold is doing what he loves: helping kids both in and out of the classroom. Mr. Arnold found a passion for teaching in high school because he liked his teachers then. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had the same effect on one or two of his own students.