Ever wonder what it takes to teach three different subjects, sponsor four intense clubs, raise two kids and 16 goats? Well, this is actually just a day in the life of our beloved social studies teacher, Timothy Rodman. Rodman is one of the most involved teachers at Walter Johnson, not only in terms of his commitments to different clubs and classes, but also in the lives of his students. In running his clubs, Rodman fosters students’ passions for social studies by providing them with countless opportunities to explore and experiment with their interests.
“I’ve sponsored the Youth and Government club here at WJ the longest. At one point, I’d handed it off because I had too many clubs, but when students come to you with a heart for doing something, and you want to embrace the passion, how could you say no to that?” Rodman said. “I want to help them. They should be involved in government, lobbying and solving the world’s problems. They’re all really great kids, great clubs and great missions. We don’t just sit around talking about things; we actually go out and try to solve these problems.”
The Youth and Government Club also has a lobbying day at Capitol Hill. Club members set up meetings, lobbied their issues, and shared their talking points with Congressmen, including Senator Chris Van Hollen. In addition to the Youth and Government club, Rodman also sponsors Model UN (MUN) and business investment club. He also co-sponsors DECA, a club where they compete for awards in marketing, entrepreneurship and economics, with Kimberly Reif. DECA States are coming up in late February, and some students will likely qualify for nationals. Many of his clubs in addition to DECA provide students with hands-on experiences that allow them to apply their knowledge in real-world situations. The knowledge they earn from being a part of his clubs undoubtedly contribute to successful pursuit of the hopes he helped them discover beyond high school.
“Some kids work for members of Congress, the county office, the statehouse in Annapolis, you name it. What’s better than that?” Rodman said. “That’s the paycheck, the stuff that keeps you going: the work that we’re doing is making an impact. Nothing thrills me more than getting an email or a drop-in from a former student letting me know what they’re up to.”
Speaking of his students, here’s what they have to say about him:
“Mr. Rodman brings amazing energy into the classroom. Every day, he is so excited to teach, no matter which class it is,” sophomore Naveh Cohn said. “He also has an amazing classroom atmosphere which helps lift up all of his students.”
In fact, Mr. Rodman won the “coolest classroom” staff superlative award in the yearbook last year. “He has a cool classroom and he’s always decorating it differently for different activities, and he puts a lot of effort into his lessons,” senior Lara Pauw agrees. “He’s frequently available for help and is always super enthusiastic,” she said.
Rodman’s dedication to making students’ high school experience the best it can be is touching, from meeting them in office hours to bedazzling the walls of room 110. What’s more wholesome, however, is how much he cares about his students.
“I was in New York City on 9/11, and that’s what led me to become a teacher. When January 6th happened, my students were the first ones I thought of. It reminded me how important democracy is, and what we’re doing here in the classroom is the active role that we have to play. That’s why I always tell my students ‘don’t stay home and wash the cat:’ Democracy thrives on taking part and being active, and the more I instill that in my students, the better off we all will be,” Rodman said.
Rodman takes on this role every day in the classroom, where he teaches AP Government and Politics, AP Microeconomics/Macroeconomics and Political Psychology and Behavior.
“It’s not easy,” he said, referring to all of the classes he teaches. Rodman recently started teaching Political Psychology and behavior, which is “a nice blending of psychology and politics, helping us to where we fit in all of it.”
Because Rodman teaches such introspective classes, it usually requires getting a much earlier jump-start on the day than you may think.
“I get up early and seize the day, starting with yoga. My back injury last year slowed me down, but it helped me realize the importance of taking care of myself,” he said.
Rodman not only comes to school before most other people, but he also conducts his own savasana right by his desk. Wondering how and why he gets up so early? It’s because he sees life as “so full of energy and things that make us happy, that it’s hard to sleep through that.”
Rodman truly makes the most of his time at school, but his day doesn’t end at 2:30, nor does it end with kids. Rather, it ends with South African Boer goats.
“In the winter, you have to feed them grain, hay, minerals, especially to the pregnant mothers to help them with their offspring so that we have a successful birthing season in late February,” Rodman said. “We mainly sell them for breeding because it’s such an in-demand type of goat. It’s very hard to make it as a sole source in goats. It’s not an easy business, but it is worth it.”
Of course, Rodman still has his two children to take care of with their own commitments.
“Right now, Summer is in dance classes and Girl Scouts, and Jacob’s in alto sax. He’s quite musically talented and can pick up an instrument pretty quickly: the trombone, the piano, the keyboard,” Rodman said.
Between his school life, his farm life and his home life, Rodman has a lot on his plate.
“Every night of the week is something,” he said. He reports often asking himself “how am I ever gonna breed these goats?” His response: “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!”
One can’t deny how incredible it is that Rodman manages this schedule. However, even with all of these commitments, he still comes to class every day with a big smile, lots of energy and fun anecdotes that never fail to lighten the mood. Not only is he a great teacher, but Rodman is also a great person who cares deeply about everyone around him and actively strives to make a positive lasting impact on student’s lives.
