Fire in the Belly: Brad Skeet

In Profile — By admin on March 19, 2010 7:44 am

Brad Skeet, Heritage Heights Schools. Photo by Neville Palmer

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

By Pat Fream

Walt Disney may have coined Brad Skeet’s favourite quote, but this elementary school teacher’s career path proves there’s more than one version of the ‘you can do it’ message. Skeet’s version is slightly more inclusive; ‘If you are open to change – you can do it!’

All through high school, Brad dreamed of becoming a lawyer. He had ample tenacity, all the right interests, and lifestyle goals that seemed a perfect match. Then one day his biology teacher told Brad he’d make a great teacher. “You’re a natural in front of the class,” he told him, “I think it’s something you should consider.”

By graduation Brad was considering. He did two years in general sciences and then applied to the Faculty of Education. When he was turned down for having too little volunteer experience, he went on to complete an undergraduate degree in modern history, then applied again, and this time got accepted. His dream had a new focus; to teach high school social studies.

“High School!” said a teacher to Brad, during his volunteer stint at a junior high in Calgary. “There are lots of men teaching high school, why don’t you consider teaching elementary school?”

“Are you kidding?” said the 6’4” Skeet. “I’d step on those kids. I’d turn around once and crush them!”

But after some contemplation, Brad changed his mind. Working with young kids had an intriguing appeal. The rest of the story is the ‘you can do it’ part, and passion spills out in every direction.

“My first day in an elementary school I had no idea what I was doing, but I can tell you, I was having fun!” says Skeet. “I thought, I can’t believe I get paid to do this!”

Today, after 16 years of teaching grades 5, 6 and 7, Brad is still open to change, and he’s still having fun. “In my opinion, to be a good teacher you have to be willing to grow with your students and be a lifelong learner along side them. The world is constantly changing, and if we expect our kids to learn how to change with it, we need to change as well – be a model.”

Brad’s teaching model is a mix of humour and high expectations; a formula that lets kids be themselves, while stretching them to their highest potential.

“Kids are fun! You need to enjoy them and they need to enjoy themselves so they like coming to school,” he says. “I really believe in giving them the freedom to be who they are. Then they will be more relaxed and more willing to learn.”

Skeet builds rapport with mutual respect, giving kids the confidence to try anything he asks. As basic as it sounds, getting kids to simply ‘try’ is the primary goal.

“Don’t get me wrong, I have extremely high expectations of my kids, everyone does at this school,” he adds. “But I can tell you, kids will reach for that bar if you set it just high enough and motivate them to try. Then when they reach it you celebrate with a high five, and raise it just a little more.”

Bests are status quo in this Heritage Heights classroom, even though the teacher never dreamed he’d find himself here. “I love my job!” says an enthusiastic Skeet. And in all his years of teaching, he has not crushed a single kid, but rather he’s raised them up, in spirit and esteem.

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