Educator Named Chamber's Teacher Of The Year

CARTERSVILLE GA — Instructor of Physical Education Jonathan Howard routinely climbs onto and runs along the tables at the front of his class at Georgia Highlands College. This simple act many of us would consider child's play shows his students how to measure the intensity of an exercise by how easy it is to talk while increasing the speed of activity.

While Howard notes students often laugh at his antics, they leave the classroom understanding the point of these lessons. This unique approach to teaching resulted in Howard being honored as the 2018 Cobb County Chamber of Commerce teacher of the year for Georgia Highlands College.

“The biggest thing is I make sure that students can relax while they learn by trying to make sure they can laugh throughout class,” Howard said. “Students can ask questions at any time and I will always do my best to answer them, even if we have to find that answer together in class. If students are interested in something, we will make class about those topics instead of what the textbook may be trying to have us cover that day.”

Howard started at GHC in 2016. He holds a master's degree in Applied Exercise and Health Science with a concentration in Exercise Physiology from Kennesaw State University. He was drawn to work at GHC because he “saw how much the institution cared about the students and how closely they work with them to help them succeed.” His own formula for student success is to be as interactive as possible.

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“The best part of teaching is coaching students to answer questions that they have no clue on how to answer,” he said. “You start by letting them tell you what they know, and then guide them with small questions that they can connect to answer complex question. When you see the face of student when everything connects, and they can fully explain it, it is a worthwhile experience.”

Howard, who teaches a variety of courses, including physical education classes and science labs, said he was honored to be chosen as the 2018 Cobb County Chamber of Commerce teacher of the year for the college.

“This honor is very meaningful,” he said. “When I won this award, many people showed me how much influence you can have on those around you. This award also reaffirmed that I am doing what is right to help this institution and my students.”

Image via Georgia Highlands College