Kenneth Nova - 5th grade

(Last updated: August 2003)

How long have you been at Douglass?
This is my 7th year at Douglass.

How long have you been teaching?
This is my 16th year of teaching.

What are your education credentials?
I have an M.A. in Elementary Education.

What do you most enjoy about teaching?
I enjoy giving kids tools and motivation for and excitement about learning. I like working with kids who are 9, 10, or 11 (therefore I've mostly taught 4th and 5th grades). Those are great ages for kids, as they still have a natural urge and excitement about learning and are capable of doing some amazing things. While everyone sees me as the math and science teacher, I actually like teaching writing and social studies just as much. Being an elementary teacher gives me the opportunity to teach about many things and to integrate across subject areas to create really interesting units. I believe that teaching young people is a noble profession, and I feel like I'm making a positive contribution to the world by teaching. I also strive to be a positive male role model for children.

What are your favorite school memories?
One of my favorite memories is when my fellow 5th grade teachers threw an amazing and heart-warming birthday celebration for me the last time I hit a new decade (I'm not saying which one).

What was your most embarrassing moment as a teacher?
I'll answer that by describing one of the funnier moments. I always conclude my Egg Drop introduction by hoping the kids' eggs "won't end up like this" as I drop an egg into a tray, where it dramatically destructs. Last year, I dropped the egg and it broke sure enough -- right onto the carpet next to the tray! That really got the kids' attention!

What are your favorite kids' books?
We teach with so much good children's literature in the 5th grade that it's impossible for me to pick one favorite. So, I'll pick several: Holes, Harry Potter books, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Banner in the Sky, The Giver, and Walk Two Moons.

What are your favorite things to do outside of school?
Some of the things I like doing outside of school include working out, going to movies, working for peace and justice, hiking, writing (I'm in a men's writing group), playing music and singing (I don't do this as much as I used to, but I'm trying to get back to it), reading, and food shopping (well, it's not a favorite thing, but I do most of it in my family, and don't even mind).

Will you tell us about your family?
My wife, Wendy, is an art teacher extraordinare at Crest View Elementary. She's also a great musician and gardener. My son, Max, is a senior at Boulder High. He's an accomplished filmmaker and actor, and hopes to study filmmaking at NYU next year. We live with our old cat, Bagel, and several fish in South Boulder.