Long-tenured teacher, Brett Bentley, could be thought of by people who know him as a man who has had countless past jobs and as a man with numerous hobbies, but who’s overarching goal was always to help students take steps in their lives with learning.
In his early life, the teacher of 22 years grew up on a farm, where he would later find himself working his first job, which he worked from ages 10 to 18. The task of working on a farm can be difficult. “Growing up on a farm, you quickly learn you can work with your back or you can work with your head, and I would much rather work with my head than my back. The first time I did an 80-hour week was when I was 12, I figured out really quick that I’d rather do something more intellectually stimulating,” Bentley said.
Bentley has worked not just on a farm, but jobs of all other sorts as well before becoming a teacher. These jobs include Bentley working as a lifeguard, swim instructor, line cook, caddy, and at a manufacturing plant making parts for helicopters. “If it made me money, I was willing to do it as a kid,” Bentley said.
While working his jobs, he found out he likes to see kids experience “aha” moments of understanding, and that getting a student to understand something feels rewarding. This eventually led him to be a teacher, which has now been his career for 22 years. “I liked teaching, and I like that moment of when kids get it, so that’s what kind of led me into teaching,” Bentley said.
One of Bentley’s main goals is to help students take steps toward college. He works to make the shift from high school to college as easy as possible so the switch isn’t a giant leap up, but rather a small change. “My main goal is for kids to take a small step to college. Sometimes when we’re talking about kids going to college, it’s a giant leap. Like I was an RA for four years and we’d see kids come in and shifting to college would be the hardest thing they’ve ever done, and that’s not the experience I want kids to have. I want the experience where kids going to college are like, Okay, this is a little step up, but it’s not like a giant leap,” Bentley said.
Outside of school, Bentley has hobbies that help him unwind after a day of teaching or grading. These hobbies consist of things from all realms and are varied, just like his past jobs. “Oh, what do I do outside of teaching? I participate in a karate club, I play Magic The Gathering, you know, read, video games. Usually, we go out and hang out with friends, either playing some games, or hiking, you know, outdoor stuff,” Bentley said.
People generally want to be remembered for doing something great or having an achievement that gains them attention. While this may be true, Bentley simply wants to be remembered for sparking passion or curiosity among students in the subjects of science and research. “I would hope to be remembered for creating some passion for science or research in the students that I’ve taught,” Bentley said.
