Jarad Benn is not your typical high school teacher. With teaching roots in theater and English, he brings creativity, structure, and passion to his classroom. Before stepping into UACHS Benn spent several years away from teaching in order to explore other opportunities, but soon he realized his heart wanted to continue teaching.
Currently, he teaches English, professional writing and presentations, and theater.
“Im really happy to be here,” said Benn. “I kind of felt the pull to get back into the classroom again.”
His lessons are designed not just to cover material, but to spark curiosity and inspire his students. In his classroom, kindness and interaction are just as important as grades.
“I don’t want to just teach content,” said Benn. “I want to give direction and I want to help all of my students learn, develop and grow, not just in my content area, but as overall human beings too, be active members of their communities.”
Whether he is helping them write a 10 page paper, rehearse a theatrical performance, or shed some advice about the real world, he emphasizes the importance of clear communication, and hard work.
“I want them to be strong members of society, to be people who can really contribute meaningfully,” said Benn. “Because I truly believe that all of my students have something meaningful to give to the world.”
For him, teaching is not about standing at the front of the room and handing out a long lesson, it is about creating an environment where students are comfortable expressing who they are, learning their strengths, and being comfortable taking risks to better themselves.
“It is important to me to feel a sense of purpose in what I do for my job,” said Benn. “What better sense of purpose could there be than teaching young people to make their mark?, I feel like, as a teacher, I am doing my best to accomplish that and improve the world.”
Benn’s constant motivation to succeed everyday is to make his family proud and allow his students to make their mark, leaving an impact on the world. He shows that change doesn’t have to begin with big things, it can start small in a classroom.
