Northeast High teacher uses psychology background to prepare students for learning

Dr. Len Chatman has a unique way of preparing for a new school year.

"I am going hiking and kayaking down the Suwanee River for seven days," Chatman said while attending this year's Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET-2) conference at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. "I clear my mind, truly unplug, journal and think about what I want to focus on for the year."

Chatman, a social studies teacher at Northeast High School, transitioned from the military to teaching through Troops to Teachers and PCS's Transition to Teaching program. In an effort to truly get to know his students, he doesn't conduct any academic learning in his class the first two weeks of school.

"I spend a lot of time thinking about what my kids are going to feel when they walk in my class the first day," Chatman said. "The first few days are about relationship building."

Chatman says he's had a lot of trauma in his life, so he finds it easier to relate to students who may be dealing with turmoil themselves. But, he views that as an opportunity.

"My 'why' and my purpose is having the ability to pour into others," he said. “It hasn’t been easy for some of my kids either. But my love language has become pouring into other people. Because you have to take that trauma and turn it into opportunity.”