The New Steam Teacher, Mr. Dochtermann
Mr. Dochtermann started with Bonny Eagle Middle School at the beginning of the current 2017-2018 year. All together, he has been teaching for 14 years. Mr. Dochtermann wanted to teach again in the New England area. Prior to Bonny Eagle, he taught in Frederick Douglass Academy in New York City. In Japan, he taught at Sendai Ikuei Gakuen in Sendai, Japan. He was looking for a teaching program, which ultimately, this new program seemed to work out for him. It was a wonderful opportunity he said.
“My wife is from Japan and I wanted the opportunity to live and work there, rather than vacation there, and really immerse myself in way with teaching,” he explained to me as to why he moved to the country.
I asked Mr. Dochtermann, “What did you learn abroad in Japan?” And he said, “I learned a lot about our own culture and language because when you're immersed in their learning and you’re also comparing to what you know, from your own interactions to mannerisms; I think it's important because people can go a long time without learning how unique they are. I learned a lot about how people from different countries are common humanity.”
Mr. Dochtermann tries to incorporate a little bit of language learning and getting students to learn a new language, appreciate their language, and keeping skills strong in his classes. He would like to promote international mindedness. Also, empathy and respect for people of other cultures. “The big thing too with STEM or STEAM is that collaboration is very important.”
Mr. Dochtermann grew up in New York state and Connecticut. His favorite baseball team is the Mets and football is by default, the Patriots. His favorite thing to do is work outside, tend to his garden and be active. His favorite thing about BEMS is the community.
Mr. Dochtermann hates when students give up too quickly. It is a bit of a disappointment to him when students do. He tries to teach that failure is okay. He also started an activity that is sort of a robotics club, but his main goal is to be a resource for the staff and students. When I asked him to critique BEMS, he said, “Think about sustainability. Any building or school with more sustainability is environmentally better. How we use the facilities here, not just energy wise, could bethings like a better a bigger greenhouse, or energy saving ways. We should have a maker space.”
His favorite thing about teaching is the people that he meets and the freedom to be creative with students and other staff but, mostly when students get excited about leaning or developing a skill.
“I have learned a lot about STEM or STEAM with the students; I’m always bringing new ideas into the classroom. The students are capable and competent. When they put their mind to it, it’s so great and amazing,” Mr. Dochtermann says.
His role models were Neil deGrasse Tyson and of course, Bill Nye who he thinks is super. His favorite musician is David Bowie. His favorite author is Ralph Ellison, and the teacher’s favorite movie was Interstellar. He also loves Bill Murray.
Mr. Dochtermann thinks gradually building positive relationships when managing students is a very good technique. He tries to get to know their interests and even tells them his own interests. He also thinks that Japanese students were much quieter and kept to themselves than the students at BEMS. Students here are very eager and curious. They were very nice. He also thinks laptops are a great tool to supplement in our learning. He believes, “I think that we, as teachers, should think about, not just how much we use them in our classes but how much students are using them throughout the day.”
Mr. Dochtermann added an A in the STEM program. When I asked him why, he said, “I am still working on that, but first of all, artistic skills fit neatly into the whole thing, and the leaders of the 21st century are creative and think in amazing ways. Engineering and for example, fine arts are much better to an employer than engineering and science. Art is a nice addition.” He has a book published as well, and he loved his art classes in middle and high school.
“I hopes students will take STEAM and STEM classes into high school and all the way into university and beyond. Follow your dreams because the whole world is ahead of you. You can become what you want to be. Always improve.” - James Dochtermann
