Teacher honored for unique approach
Published: July 10, 2006
Chris Dunst spent all year being known as the guy with the orange door.
Now he’s known as the guy Guilford County Schools named its Rookie Teacher of the Year.
The 30-year-old Allen Jay Elementary School instructor garnered attention for his hands-on, creative approach to education.
His fifth-grade students worked on projects involving shooting rockets, replicating a tornado and playing Yahtzee in a room decorated with neon green, pink, purple and orange paint.
“I can’t say I give them Disneyland every day,” Dunst said. “But every now and again we go to the theme park and have fun with learning.”
Sure, the award is nice, he said, but it’s just a reaffirmation that his philosophy is working.
He’s quick to deflect praise and credit his colleagues and professors for his distinction. “I just put to use all the stuff that they gave me,” he said.
Although Dunst is a rookie teacher, teaching isn’t his first profession.
His old job was a bit more glamorous — associate producer for “48 Hours.”
He landed the gig fresh out of the University of Missouri-Kansas City after impressing his bosses by working 100 hours a week as an intern.
Working in the heart of New York, passing Dan Rather in the hallway and on his way to a six-figure salary, Dunst thought he had his dream job.
But teaching was his calling.
Seeking something to fill his weekends, he volunteered at his church, offering homework help to children who didn’t speak English while their mothers attended to church business.
“It was a pretty fulfilling emotion to have those kids anxiously waiting for someone to talk to,” Dunst said.
Realizing his new passion, he turned in his CBS credentials and came to UNCG to get a master’s degree in education.
Although he said he doesn’t miss his old job, he has been able to capitalize on what he learned as a journalist.
“It’s about developing relationships, and that’s what’s helped me tremendously in teaching.”
He’s also called on his former colleagues.
Dunst’s students wrote news articles on Hurricane Katrina, and he asked a friend at “48 Hours” to critique their work.
Ideas like that garnered Dunst his award, which came with $500, free classes at UNCG and a plaque.
So far, this new profession seems to be working out for Dunst, who enjoys the impact he makes on his pupils.
But he’s not making any promises about how long he’ll be at the head of the class.
“I thought I’d be a journalist forever,” he said. “I have a great time with what I’m doing now. … You never know what you’re going to be called to do.”
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