Cabot, Arkansas native, Ethan Robson, graduated with a General Studies & Leadership in Ministry degree from Harding University in nearby Searcy. After graduation, Ethan moved to Rhode Island where he was a College and Career Advisor and mentor for City Year, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping high school students graduate and succeed after high school. Ethan would like to teach Middle School English, specifically to help students develop positive identities in a transitional period of their lives. Ethan believes to have the best classroom possible a teacher must engage students through meaningful conversation, and teach students to respect themselves and others. As a teacher, he wants to become more confident and be able to develop lessons that help students think critically about real life issues. More importantly, he wants to build rapport with students so they can ask questions without fear of failure.
Ethan would like his mentor to have an organized structure. He is open to mutual feedback, and knows that to be an effective teacher one has to be flexible.
Ethan’s favorite teacher was his High School Band Director Mr. Trusty. Mr. Trusty brought humor into the band hall every day, even during intense rehearsals. He understands that mistakes happen and that they are the best learning experience. He preached perseverance while being a supportive coach-like figure in his students’ lives. Ethan’s positive experience with Mr. Trusty is the reason he was able to have confidence in himself. Ethan has played trombone for 15 years, including a year long stint of playing professionally in a band that produced an album and toured.