Palmetto, Florida. At first glance, students in Joseph Baker’s Geography class appear to be in a tangled heap in the middle of his classroom.
But a closer look reveals they are playing a game Mr. Baker helped create called Geo-Twist. As the name implies, it’s like Twister but students land on continents and oceans.
As a teacher at Buffalo Creek Middle School in Palmetto, Mr. Baker says he tries to make the experience so much fun students don’t even realize they are learning. It’s the kind of thing that keeps them engaged and excited about their work.
Mr. Baker says he’s always known he would be a teacher. He spent one year in law school and realized he had no desire to take the bar but he did want to raise it.
The next year he went with his heart and pursued his love of teaching.
He can’t think of anywhere else he would rather be.
Some of his students, like 7th grader Cassie Adkins, are already thinking about and dreading the day when Mr. Baker will no longer be their teacher.
After 18 year in the classroom, memories of his past students are still with him on a special wall of photos. Each year some of his students send a snapshot and he puts it on the wall as a reminder of all the great young minds he’s had the privilege of teaching.
Mr. Baker says other professions may pay more money but they can’t come close to the rewards he receives from his students.
Ginger Gadsden