The new school year brought many new teachers, including AP World History teacher John Gore. The Red Ledger’s Annabelle Archer caught up with Gore about starting his first year at Lovejoy High School as well as AP World History.

The Red Ledger: How long have you been a teacher?

John Gore: This is my seventh year, seven and a half if you count the first college class I taught in 2008.

TRL: How long have you been teaching WHAP?

JG: This is my first year teaching WHAP, but I have taught World History I and II and World Civilizations I and II online at two different colleges for two years now.

TRL: Where and what else have you taught?

JG: I taught six years at Richardson High School where I taught AP/Dual Credit U.S. History for six years and on-level U.S. History for three years. I have also taught U.S. History I at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, World Civilizations II at Dallas Christian College, and I currently teach U.S. History I and II, World Civilizations I and II, and Western Civilizations I and II at Richland College. This depends on the semester because I don’t teach them all at once. I also teach U.S. History II at National Park College, and U.S. History I and II and World History I and II at Southern Arkansas University. The last three colleges are all online and I do this so my wife can stay home with our kids.  

TRL: What are your values as a teacher?

JG: My values as a teacher are to bring integrity, passion, enthusiasm, and high expectations to the classroom while connecting with students to help them be successful not only at the high school level but also the college level.  

TRL: What do you hope to bring to Lovejoy?

JG: I hope to continue the successful AP World History program that the previous teacher Kevin Finn created over the last eight years, as well as my passion and ability to connect with students to Lovejoy.  

TRL: What is the hardest thing about WHAP for the students and for you as a teacher?

JG: The hardest thing about WHAP for students is the tie between the work load and grasping difficult concepts and civilizations. Also, it’s hard to formulate a historical argument and support it with evidence while using primary sources for many students. As a teacher, the hardest thing is preparing and teaching the subject for the first time and relearning the content of world history.

TRL: How do you hope to impact your students not only in your class, but as they go on through high school?

JG: I hope to set a positive moral example while helping hold students to high standards, and help students be successful in the next stage of their education.  I have been fortunate to have taught some great kids over the years and many guys I have kept in touch with as my first year students are in the working world or graduate/medical school.  I love getting to know students, especially through the PALS program that I was a part of at my previous high school.