Name:  Jill Anne Hahn
Title: Coordinator of Randall T. Shepard Leadership and Law Academy; Secondary High School Teacher at Evansville Harrison High School
School Name: Evansville Harrison High School and Randall T. Shepard Leadership and Law Academy
City, State: Evansville, Indiana
Subject(s) Taught: CAP Government, CAP Economics, We The People Constitutional Law course, Economics, Government, International Relations and Current Events
Grade(s) Taught: Seniors
No. of Years Teaching: 29 years
Honors: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Economic Educator Advisory Board; Indiana Council of Social Studies award: Stan Harris Social Studies Citizen Award; Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year Award from the National Guard; Leadership Evansville Professional Education Leadership Nominee; Olin B. Davis Exemplary Teaching of Economics Award; Randall T. Shepard iCivics Outstanding Teacher in Vanderburgh Co.; Indiana Supreme Court Award; Senator Lugar Symposium, Guest speaker on Nuclear Armament, Evansville Courier Press Outstanding Educator Nominee, Indiana Government Teacher of the Year presented by Senator Lugar

As an educator who serves in dual roles – a social studies teacher at a public high school and a program coordinator for a four-year college preparatory school – Jill Anne Hahn is one busy education professional. Her long list of honors and awards is a reflection of her commitment to excellence in education.

Hahn believes Government and Economics are two of the most important subjects that will affect students’ daily lives, now and in the future.

“My teaching philosophy is to educate all of my students by bringing the outside world into the classroom,” Hahn says. “By studying current events plus international relations, students can actually see how the outside world impacts them.”

One way Hahn teaches her students about current events is through the SGAP program. “I love SGAP and have been using it for 20 years,” Hahn says. “I feel that the future of our students looks extremely bright thanks to all the tools we have to teach them such as SGAP.”

Living to Give

Hahn’s philosophy doesn’t only focus on how the external world impacts students, but also how students’ internal landscapes impact the external world.

“I am big on giving of one’s self,” Hahn says. “Each student is required to give 10 hours of their semester to service learning, as part of their civic duty as Americans. I’m amazed at how many students come back years later and tell me their volunteer service inspired a career or they continued giving of themselves.”

This reminder to give back is much-needed in today’s fast-paced society. “Students have so many outside distractions in today’s world, whether it be too much social media, or issues at home,” Hahn says. “My role has changed over the years from just being a teacher and now also includes being a student advocate.”

Rolling with the Changes

In her 29 years of teaching, Hahn has witnessed many changes in the field of education, including those inspired by technology. A benefit of today’s technology is social media, Hahn says, because it has enabled her to stay in touch with her former students.

“Students remind me of what I taught them and many times we have civic discussion over various matters,” she says. “Often, I remind them that they must continue what I taught them because, after all, they are my legacies.”             

Name: Jill Auten
School Name: Deer Creek High School
City, State: Edmond, OK
Subjects Taught: Government and Personal Finance (presently); World History, Oklahoma History, U.S. History (previously)
Grades Taught: 12th grade (presently); 8th and 9th grades (previously)
No. of Years Teaching: 6.5
Honors: Governor’s Volunteer Award 2014; Teacher of the Month May 2017; Teacher of the Year Nominee 2015 and 2017

With a background in teaching history of all kinds – world history, U.S. history and Oklahoma state history – Jill Auten currently teaches Government and Personal Finance to 12th graders at a public high school in Edmond, Oklahoma.

She enjoys educating her students on the practical application of civics. “To encourage civic engagement, I created voter registration packets for my school’s seniors to receive on their 18th birthday,” Auten says.

Transformative Teaching

Having co-authored research papers on subjects such as the role of instructional design in transformative learning, Auten works to apply those theories in her approach to classroom management and teaching philosophy.

“My goal as an educator is to provide learning in such a manner that students are prepared for life after graduation,” Auten says. “I model behaviors I hope they will emulate and teach them skills – manners, respect for the environment, respect for others, civic duty, etc. – that are vital to their long-term success. I believe students will seek to reach the high bar I have set for them as I communicate my belief in their ability to succeed.” 

Diversity Doctrine

In her Government class, Auten says she strives to teach diversity – meaning diversity of thought, experiences and expectations, she says. “I purposefully guide dynamic conversations in Government as students hear a variety of differing opinions,” Auten adds. “I feel this aids the students in developing critical-thinking skills while also learning to value the concerns of others with differing viewpoints, especially those with vastly different points of view.”

While her focus on diversity is apparent in her teaching philosophy, Auten says she is still challenged by fake news stories. “It may be a tired subject, but fake news and other non-empirical material is still prolific today,” she says. “I want students to decide for themselves their stance on issues from factual information rather than biased information.”

Auten hopes that her students look back on her class as a meaningful learning experience. “I hope my students will remember to be open-minded – withhold snap judgment – and that they will be lifelong learners. I hope that they will revere other cultures, practice civic participation, and be inquisitive about the world they encounter.”

Vital Stats

Name: Greg Baird
School Name: Murrieta Valley High School
City, State: Murrieta, CA
Subjects Taught: Modern World History, U.S. Government
Grades Taught: 10, 12
No. of Years Teaching: 29

As a teacher with 29 years of teaching experience, Greg Baird has spent 28 of those years teaching students at Murrieta Valley High School (MVHS) in Murrieta, California. MVHS is a four-year comprehensive public school that has been named a California Distinguished School awardee and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Baird began teaching at MVHS in 1990, the year the public school was founded – indeed, Baird says he was the first teacher hired there!

“I’m proud to be associated with the excellent teachers in my school, district, state and nation,” Baird says. “All teachers have a tremendous impact on their students for their entire lives.” Today, Baird teaches Modern World History and U.S. Government to sophomore and senior high school students in addition to serving as Chairman of the school’s History Social Science Department. “History and Social Science teachers deal with the essential issue of people forming communities,” Baird says. “This is why our classes are so important in understanding the past and helping to forge the future.”

Modern Problems

As a social studies educator at a public high school, Baird says Common Core standards are definitely changing the way History and Social Science classes are taught. “It’s not so much about the learning all the facts, but being able to analyze information and communicate clearly.”

Since his Modern World History class covers hundreds of years, Baird says he doesn’t expect students to remember all the facts. “However, I hope that students can relate to characters from the past and see them as human beings who had to make tough decisions just like us,” he adds.

Baird says his greatest challenge is battling bias, whether in the media or in the classroom. “Politics in our country is very polarized right now, and many students get caught up in the rhetoric,” Baird says. “They have a hard time seeing issues and individuals from another point of view.”

Positive, Not Punitive

Baird says his teaching philosophy is founded on a positive classroom management strategy, with the goal of responding to students in positive rather than punitive ways. “Students who are engaged in the lesson rarely cause behavior problems,” Baird says. “I strive to cultivate positive relationships with my students, and create interesting lesson plans that challenge students. This tends to keep the kids learning and out of trouble.

What does Baird hope students remember about him and his class? “Most students will not remember all of the checks and balances, but I hope to prepare all my students to be productive and informed citizens,” Baird says. “And I hope they remember me as a caring adult.”