In every school, there are always teachers that students can relate to really well. In Potosi High School that teacher is Mr. Zachary Lynn, the business teacher. Mr. Lynn shares common interests with students to build relationships. One of the many common interests that he shares is his love for coffee. Another of the interests he shares is discussing the ins and outs of video games with some of his students.
Due to COVID, this year, Mr. Lynn is not able to share his coffee with students. In previous years, kids would bring coffee mugs down to his room and they would fill up on the premium coffee that Lynn always had to offer. It is not only the coffee that he offers that sparks interest for students, it is the conversation about the new and exciting places to get cheap, good coffee that really gets the students going. “Many students also drink a lot of coffee, so we are able to talk about preferred coffee locations, types of coffee, and sales on coffee,” Lynn said.
The students at Potosi High always are intrigued about what Lynn is drinking out of each day. The mugs he uses change every single day, so many kids cannot wait to get to his class and see what he is drinking out of today. “I have many interesting coffee mugs,” said Lynn.
The smell that the coffee brings to the school is a whole other conversation at Potosi High. Whether or not it is present for the students, it is always present for Lynn, so we never question if we are going to get that excellent coffee smell that lingers through the school halls. “It smells good in my room and hallway. It is always present,” Lynn said.
Another way that Mr. Lynn uses to relate to his students is his own interest in gaming and technology. “My interest in game consoles and computer gaming has allowed me to reach out to certain groups of students and discuss the ins and outs of popular video games and related media,” said Lynn. He enjoys sharing his love of video games with his students.
Lynn draws from his really wide variety of personal experiences and brings unique references into the conversation. He socializes with people from all over the world with a wide range of interests. This provides him with many cool stories and experiences he can bring into the classroom every day. Mr. Lynn travels a lot and meets a lot of new people from a variety of backgrounds, which means he encounters many different experiences that he can bring back to the classroom. “I also have met a lot of interesting people from a variety of backgrounds, and can bring many different experiences and encounters with people back to the classroom which helps to build student engagement by relating it to the real world with amusing anecdotes and other stuff,” Lynn explained.
Students learn better from a teacher that can make things relatable to life outside of school. Learning from a teacher that relates to you personally is so much better. Knowing where to keep that balance between professionalism and friendship is key, and Mr. Lynn does just that.