Geoff Green holds his coffee, questioning his students about the “Society and Self” scale on the white screen behind him. He’s explaining an assignment where students explore American values in 2018 and how they shape our behavior.
“We all want to be popular,” he said. “What do people do to try to be popular?”
Geoff is a new Social Studies teacher at U-32, taking over for Grant Gunther who left last year to teach in China.
Geoff studied Government and International Affairs in college, and after graduation he took an internship at the Governor’s office that eventually turned into his job. He worked in Governor Shumlin’s Administration for a couple of years and worked on Sue Minter’s gubernatorial campaign in 2016.
Because he studied politics in college, Geoff felt like it was something he was supposed to do, but by the end of the 2016 elections, it was time to move on. “I feel like I might be disillusioned with politics,” he said.
He had no idea where he’d end up next. He worked for a contractor company where he rebuilt patios out of concrete, created pavers, and built stone walls.
“I just had a few part time jobs here and there to get by,” he said. “Working with the contractor was something I’ve never done before and I felt like it could teach me some things in the long run.”
At that time, he’d been questioning what he would do, but teaching was always in his mind: “All it took for me was my mom telling me: ‘Geoff, just do something.’”
From then on, Geoff pursued a teaching career. He finds himself being surprised everyday. “The range that people learn in one grade alone is remarkable,” he said. “Everything about this has been amazing.”
