Walking through the English hallway recently, students may have noticed a new face there. Felipe Lopez is a student teacher who came to Gibson Southern High School for his final weeks of his college career.
“I graduated from Vincennes University in 2022,” Lopez said. “I am currently going to Indiana State University.”
Lopez is originally from Princeton, Indiana, and attended Princeton Community High School. Even though he went to PCHS, Lopez decided to teach at Gibson Southern instead.
“I didn’t want to be seen as Felipe the kid but as Mr. Lopez the adult,” he said.
Lopez was a student teacher at South Knox Middle-High School earlier this year and completed multiple Early Field Experiences where he was inside different schools. Some of the schools where he completed EFEs include Terre Haute High School, Honey Creek Middle School and Vincennes Lincoln High School.
According to Lopez, he wanted to teach English because it comes naturally to him. He enjoys reading fiction novels and writing them, so why not teach it?
“I had a lot of bad teachers growing up,” Lopez said. “So, I thought I could do this job but way better.”
Some of his favorite authors include Stephen King, John Milton and Emily Dickinson.
Lopez is in English teacher Jared Grigsby’s classes until November 22.
“He is very vibrant in class,” Grigsby said. “He is passionate about being an English teacher.”
Since being at Gibson Southern, he has taught Grigsby’s freshman English honors class and the three regular English nine classes. He is also observing the yearbook and newspaper classes.
“Mr. Lopez began teaching on his own last week, October 7,” Grigsby said. “In his first week, he was observing me, working with the class, getting the temperature of the class and how I do things. The next week he began teaching with me and getting feedback and interacting with the kids. This week he has started to take the classes on by himself.”
According to freshman Tenley Beloat, Lopez was a little tentative when he was first there but has warmed up to everybody.
Since Lopez is younger in age, some of the freshmen seem to want to test him, but most of them respect him and have gotten used to him as a teacher.
“Mr. Lopez is definitely a fast learner,” Grigsby said. “He makes adjustments immediately on the fly. I have watched him from day one where I would give him feedback in second period, and he would implement the changes in fourth. I am impressed with his willingness to try new things and implementing things he needs to bring the best out in the students.”
