For many of us, the last time we saw Scott Frantz, he was wearing No. 74 on the offensive line for the K-State football team. Now, he’s in his first year of teaching back in his hometown, and he took a few minutes to catch us up on his new career.
Name: Scott Frantz
Location: Lawrence Public School USD 497, Lawrence, KS
Class/content area taught: Special Education Resource Room
What are you most excited about with your new career? I’m most excited about starting a new chapter in my life. There is something refreshing about moving on, whether it be going from middle school to high school, high school to college, or college to the professional world. In every phase of your life you get to meet new, amazing people, develop new relationships, and grow as an individual. That is what I’m most excited about.
What do you enjoy most about teaching? I’ve always been a people person. I love meeting new people developing relationships. There is not better job to do that than being a teacher! I’m excited to get to know my students and do everything I can to help them reach their goals. Students are hungry for role models. Someone they can look up to. I want to be that person and help show them that they can be anything they want to be. We don’t get into this line of work to make a ton of money and have fancy things, but we get into this profession to make a difference, and that it makes it all worth it. I enjoy teaching because it is a fulfilling career.
What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? Kansas State did a great job of preparing me for the professional world. Playing football, I learned about hard work, teamwork, and what it takes to be successful. Being a student in the College of Education, I learned how to be an effective teacher. I thought that helping out with STEM during the summer was very beneficial to me also. I am very grateful for my coaches and teachers for getting me well prepared!
Are there specifics about your background that make teaching the perfect fit for you? I grew up in a family of educators and I loved it. My parents were always around and when I was around and we had so much fun during our summers off. Growing up in this environment always made me curious about going into the education field, but ultimately what drove me to education were the amazing relationships I made with kids with disabilities. I remember being impacted by these amazing kids throughout my entire education, and that ultimately made me want to be a special education teacher.
Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: The ball is in your court; you can be as good or as mediocre as you want to be. There are a lot of great teachers out there, and there are a lot of not-so-great teachers out there. The difference between the two is motivation. Great teachers never let themselves forget the amazing power that they have, and this is the ability to be a positive influence and role model in their students lives. They wake up every day motivated, wanting to do everything in their power to help their students reach their goals. They go out of their way to get to know their students and develop relationships, and never give up on them. This road requires more effort and energy, but ultimately will make you a better and happier teacher.
Bonus question, thanks to the Pandemic: How has the Pandemic shaped your classroom—the environment, safety precautions, etc.? How has it affected you as a new teacher? Covid-19 has reshaped many districts across the country. My school district is moving online for the foreseeable future. This makes it very difficult for teachers. My job, as a special educator, is to help my students thrive and succeed in the classroom. Now that I am away from them, this will be much more difficult. My communication will be happening online and trying to figure out what they need at home in order to keep up and succeed. It will be a big learning curve, but we are all in the same boat!