Paul Waked believes connecting with his eighth-grade students is just as important as instructing them about science. “My teaching philosophy is that everything stems from building a strong relationship with students,” he says.

In between lessons about environmental sciences and physics, Waked makes it a point to speak one-on-one with students about the things that excite them inside and outside of the classroom. “It’s so important to engage in conversations with students, whether it’s about sports, music, or anything they enjoy,” Waked shares. “Building that connection lets them view teachers as people and lets them know we see them as people as well.”

Building a Safe Space to Try

Connecting with his students is a vital step in Waked’s plan to push the boundaries of learning past the point where students think they can go. “If you want students to learn, that involves a lot of challenge, and challenge involves failure,” Waked says. 

Students need a safe space to push themselves, and Waked works hard to provide that environment. “By cultivating relationships with students, they know my classroom is a place where they can try. They can give something a shot, and if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world,” he says.

At the beginning of the year, Waked teaches his students about a concept called the “zone of proximal development,” which means learning in an area just beyond one’s capabilities. “I let students know we will try to stay in that zone, which means there will be times you’re asked to do things you’re not quite ready to do,” Waked says. “I’m building a culture of failing upwards and failing forward.”

Rising to the Challenge

For Waked, some of the most gratifying moments as a teacher are watching students experience what he terms an “aha moment.” “It’s that moment when I’m using an equation or working out a problem on the board, and I see a student's eyes start to widen and they look around like, ‘Oh my gosh, I get it!’” Waked explains.

There's something powerful about acquiring knowledge that didn't come easily and then being able to apply it.Paul Waked

Waked’s students are often eager to share the “aha” moments they experience outside the classroom. During the environmental science unit, students learn about Earth’s formation and evolution over time. Importantly, Waked reviews how humans impact Earth’s environment, and how it might be possible to address some of our negative impacts. 

“Students will tell me about things they notice in their everyday life, whether it’s certain types of point-source or non-point source pollution, or if they notice native plants in their yard,” Waked says. “They take their learnings and make connections about how the things humans do have a cost and an impact on the environment.”

Applying Science to the Real World

With a teacher who encourages hypothesizing, trying, and yes, even failing, students in Waked’s science classes are eager to tackle unique learning experiences. If you walk by Waked’s classroom during the projectile motion unit, watch for flying objects. “There’s a lot of marker throwing,” Waked says with a smile. “We push desks around and see where things land.”

During an energy unit, students construct roller coasters out of miniature car tracks. “Once they finish building, they have to identify places that have the most kinetic energy and the most gravitational potential energy,” Waked says. “Then they make graphs and diagrams that show the transfers of energy throughout the ride.”

Waked is grateful for the opportunity to teach in a classroom where relational teaching and real-world learning go hand in hand. “When I reflect on my time at Shady Side Academy, I see that building a community of trust and strong relationships lets teachers take what we do beyond just the academics,” he says. “We are able to provide an environment full of not only smart, intelligent, wonderful students, but strong citizens who will impact the world as they move forward.”