by Finley Fallstrom, Kaitley Petersen and Bailey Matteson
Participating in presentations, gaming with Gimkit, and diving into documentaries are just some of the engaging activities that occur on the battlefield that is Mr. Sowers’s classroom. In room 605, history comes alive for students in engaging and creative ways. Analyzing historical films that are also of personal interest is just one of the many creative projects Mr. Sowers encourages his students to engage in. Starting out as a middle school teacher, Mr. Sowers knows how to turn a boring lecture day into a fun day of learning. So, what inspired him to become the teacher that he is today?
Well, his inspiration came from a teacher in his freshman year at Estrella Mountain Community College.
“I had a really good teacher my freshman year of college that was awesome. I really enjoyed the way that he taught and how he really, really enjoyed what he was doing. And he was funny, and he said weird stuff, and it was like, I'd never had a teacher like that before.”
That teacher opened Mr. Sowers’s eyes to the possibility of being a light and bringing some humor and relatability to the classroom. So now, the focus shifted from what would he do to what would he teach? The answer came naturally to this history buff.
“You know, some people are, like, really into trains and dinosaurs. I'm, like, really into history. Like, I just love it. And so I get to share that.”
So what’s the education background of everyone’s favorite dad-joke connoisseur? Mr. Sowers grew up in the area and even went to Estrella Mountain Elementary School. For college, Mr. Sowers went to Estrella Mountain Community College for two years and then transferred to the University of Arizona. Continuing on his path, he went to Pima Community College for his teaching certificate. After wrestling with the middle school monsters for 18 years at Rainbow Valley Elementary School, an opportunity arose to teach at our very own Estrella Foothills. Having been teaching for so long, in the same community, he has gotten to see similar faces all around him.
“I'm teaching the kids of the kids I taught. So, my first semester here, this kid's like, you taught my mom, and then I saw his mom at parent teacher conferences, and it was like, this is so weird. But, they remember me when they were, you know, this 20 ****something years ago. Like, I taught Mrs. McCubbins.”
Throughout all the experiences that Mr. Sowers has had throughout his teaching career, there's always been one universal truth to the most rewarding aspects of his job, emotionally connecting with his students. When Mr. Sowers taught middle school, he had about two years to get to know his kids. He got to emotionally understand how his kids work and what methods worked best for them. In high school, it would become a little different. He would have a shorter amount of time with his kids, which means a shorter time to get to know them, but that challenge would allow him to discover the most rewarding part of his job.
“Here, it's five months. You have to really hyper concentrate on getting to know someone or what's their motivation or what might, I don't know, make them shut down. And so you try stuff out.”
Mr. Sowers knows kids are complex, multi-leveled human beings who are all very different. Mr. Sowers works with the shorter time he is given by sticking to what he knows, embracing each kid's differences.
“You have 100 kids a semester, and every single one of them is different, totally unique. You can't, like, box up kids in a certain way, and you can't divide them up. They're all 100% unique.”
Seeing his students grow makes all the challenges of connecting with them quickly all the more rewarding. It takes adaptability and flexibility to try out different methods to see what makes each student branch out and become successful. To Mr. Sowers, success isn’t about a grade in a gradebook, it’s about how they learn to grow as individuals and become the best person they can be.
“You want everyone to be successful, and I don't know if you can gauge that by a grade or anything like that, but by changing habits, work habits, ways of thinking, all that kind of stuff.”
In addition to sharing his passion for history with students, he also dives deep into the psychological side of humanity with his kids. He started teaching Psychology two years ago when Mr. McCubbins left for a year. Mr. Sowers had taken a psychology class in college and when Mr. McCubbins asked if he was interested in taking on the role of teaching the elective, he accepted. He really admired Mr. McCubbins and was honored to be thought of when considering who should teach the future classes.
“To have someone you respect tell you that they respect your way of doing stuff, that was a good challenge to take on.”
Learning about different behavior mechanisms and cognitive development is a great way for him to connect both his love of history and his love for psychology.
“The more I do psychology, the more I notice all the connections to history and social sciences in general. It's just, like, fascinating.”
And finally, the part you’ve all been waiting for…. What was one of the funniest moments in Mr. Sowers’ career? As the king of humor, it’s hard for him to pinpoint just one hilarious moment, but one incident involving dodgeballs sticks with him to this day.
“One time we were playing dodgeball and I hit two kids with the same ball. They were brothers so it hit one head and it bounced on the other head. And that was like, that was pretty joyful.”
Joy is found sometimes in the most humorous moments. Whether that’s with the junior student council, the girls tennis team, or his history/psychology students, Mr. Sowers makes it a point to get in a good laugh each day.
“Something joyful happens almost every day, I would think. That's why I enjoy being here, 'cause someone will say something weird, or you'll make a joke in class or someone makes a joke in class, and it's just like, I don't know.. It makes life fun.”
Mr. Sowers knows that the students that come through his door are people he gets to know for only a little while, but the impact he makes stays with his kids and himself forever.
“These kids don't stay kids forever. They grow up and they become adults and they have kids of their own and they become successful. When I see them, like when I hear that a kid is starting their own business or they're traveling the world, or they're just doing what they love to do makes you so happy. On the reverse, you know, you also might hear that something bad happens. That's upsetting, too, because it's like I don't know, in a way, they become your own kids after a while.”
Appreciation from Students and Staff:
“Mr. Sowers is a fun, loving teacher, he’s funny and he always makes sure his students understand the gravity of the history he’s teaching, while also making it fun to engage in. A day in Mr. Sowers’s classroom is anything but boring.” -Bailey Matteson, junior
“Mr. Sowers makes class very entertaining and keeps everyone engaged.”- Victoria Colborne, junior
“Mr. Sowers is a teacher who makes his lessons very engaging. He’s super easy to talk to and I’m happy to have taken his class” - Luke Wagner, junior
“My favorite thing about Mr. Sowers is how unique his personality is. Most people know him for his dad jokes and awkwardness, but deep down he genuinely wants to make everyday a positive one, and the best way to do that is to make someone laugh or lighten the mood in any given situation. It’s hard not to appreciate him for that!”- Mrs. McCubbins
“Mr. Sowers is a really funny guy, and his style is unmatched. But my favorite thing about him is the diabolical things he says out of context, like him saying he’s a pretty princess or when he keeps quoting brain rot.” - Julia Reyes, junior
“My favorite thing about Mr.Sowers is how he uses his humor to keep class going and truly cares about his students.”- Peyton Murray, junior
“No matter the event, whether it’s related to student council or tennis, he always ensures a positive atmosphere for everyone involved.” - Ninfa Lopez Avila-Favela, junior