When burnout threatened to derail his teaching career, Tim Smyth, this week’s #TeacherTuesday, dared to bring his personal passion – comics – into the classroom and the results have been astonishing. This Wissahickon High School social studies teacher in has expanded his students’ horizons, as well as his own, using a graphic novel to explore the civil rights movement with a class in Norway, and exploring persecution in Syria through the experiences of a mother chronicled in the comic book “Madaya Mom.”
His students have been energized, skyping with ABC News correspondents to ask questions about Syria and are trying to start service projects to help the people in this war-torn nation.
Says Tim, “I am lucky that I am able to share my love of comics and graphic novels with my students. Whenever a teacher is able to integrate a personal passion into the classroom, the excitement becomes contagious. Using comics, we have been able to interact with authors, journalists and schools around the world to break down the walls of the classroom.”