Gregg Fettig, Employee of the Year, Focuses on Communication Skills in Classroom
By Paul Gingras

"To me, school is more than just social studies," it is a place for students to think critically, learn responsibility, and to be imbued with the motivation to achieve in life, said technology director and social studies teacher Gregg Fettig, who has been selected as the employee of the year at St. Ignace Area Schools.

Mr. Fettig, 29, originally from Petoskey, is a graduate of Central Michigan University. He is known for keeping the district's computers running, a task that makes him busier every year, and his classes emphasize technology, working in groups, and writing.

"Picking one person is difficult when there are so many worthy [of the honor]," said Superintendent Mike Springsteen of the selection.

Out of 87 employees, Mr. Fettig was selected by Mr. Springsteen, Elementary and Middle School Principal Bonnie Ledy, and LaSalle High School Principal Don Gustafson.

"He is a 'do it all' kind of teacher" Mr. Springsteen said.

Since 2001, Mr. Fettig has taught at the St. Ignace Juvenile Detention Center, where the district holds classes, worked for two years as technology director, taught social studies and keyboarding, and coached basketball and football. For the 2002/2003 school year, he worked at Petoskey High School, but returned because he loves the area, the community, the school, and enjoys his proximity to Brevort Lake.

Mr. Fettig now lives in Moran with his wife, Lani, and the couple is expecting their first child in September.

Although disinclined to promote himself, Mr. Fettig is passionate about teaching, and he has focused on engaging methods that motivate students to learn, even when they don't realize it, he said.

He has created the district's first paperless classroom. Harnessing students' interest in computers and the Internet, Mr. Fettig directs them to write online blogs (short for Web log), in which they express their views on issues he brings up in class. Mr. Fettig moderates the online discussion, ensuring that students' postings are appropriate, and he grades responses on content, grammar, and spelling.

This and other techniques bypass many teenagers' hesitancy to express their views about social issues, but online work has not reduced the vitality of regular classroom discussions, he said. Some shy students prefer the online forum, he added, and by reading their postings to learn what they think, Mr. Fettig can fluidly draw them into class conversations.

His students do not sit in traditional rank-and-file rows, nor is his emphasis on individual work. They sit in groups, even while listening to lectures, and work in teams. Group work gets them talking about their ideas, and ultimately, they learn a great deal about the subject matter, he said.

Group work and blogs counteract the traditional textbookand worksheet method, which, in his experience, bored students and led to copying of work.

Mr. Fettig's senior social studies classes often focus on a global perspective. Comparing current and historical events, students tackle some of the toughest issues facing the country, such as the War in Iraq, he explained.

Local issues are also highlighted. In a recent effort to combat negativity in the media, Mr. Fettig's class took a challenge by Tom Della-Moretta, who wrote a letter to the editor published in the May 19 issue of The St. Ignace News. Mr. Della-Moretta challenged area residents to think of 10 positive aspects of St. Ignace, and Mr. Fettig's classes responded with insight and creativity.

Video clips of newscasts and documentaries are often part of the curriculum, also, and with the clips come written responses.

"I am big on writing because, no matter what you do, you have to be good at communicating," Mr. Fettig said, citing the need for mechanics to write clear reports, for realtors to have good social skills, and for journalists, teachers, and other professionals to have strong writing skills.

His classes do not emphasize memorizing facts, but focus on fostering understanding of concepts.

Mr. Fettig has not eliminated traditional tests, but he does employ an innovative method for students to prepare for them. He uses a concept he calls "Quests," which is a combination of the words "quiz" and "test. In a Quest, students answer difficult questions using books and computers, and they are allowed to consult with each other. These are graded. Later, students take formal, individual tests.

The most challenging aspect of Mr. Fettig's position is "keeping current" with technology and curriculum changes, he said.

"Kids are changing," he explained. "They are learning more and more at younger age levels, and keeping current requires a lot of research."

This challenge feeds directly into Mr. Fettig's favorite aspect of teaching, he said, which is simply "helping kids."