The Student News Site of Lake Central High School

Lake Central News

The Student News Site of Lake Central High School

Lake Central News

The Student News Site of Lake Central High School

Lake Central News

Q&A: Mr. Ralph Holden, Social Studies

Rachael+Peterson+%2812%29+looks+at+a+mirror+to+see+the+papillae+on+her+painted+tongue+as+Mr.+Ralph+Holden%2C+social+studies%2C+shines+a+light.+Students+in+Mr.+Ralph+Holden%E2%80%99s%2C+Social+Studies%2C+AP+psychology+class+had+a+%E2%80%9CSensation+Day%E2%80%9D+to+get+a+further+understanding+on+the+unit+they+were+reviewing.
Rachael Peterson (12) looks at a mirror to see the papillae on her painted tongue as Mr. Ralph Holden, social studies, shines a light. Students in Mr. Ralph Holden’s, Social Studies, AP psychology class had a “Sensation Day” to get a further understanding on the unit they were reviewing.

Q: What classes do you teach?

A: “I teach psychology and AP psychology.”

Q: What college did you attend?

A: “I went to Indiana University for my undergrad. I got a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice — that’s my degree. Then I went to Valparaiso University to finish up a teaching license program.”

Q: How long have you been teaching at Lake Central?

A: “I’ve been teaching [at Lake Central] since 1997. I got hired coming back from spring break in 1991 to work at the high school for the rest of the year. The following year, I was at the high school part of the day [and] Kahler Middle School the other half for the first month of school. They needed me at Kahler more, so I was there for five years after that. I’ve been in the corporation since Spring break in ‘91.”

Q: Did you always want to be a teacher?

A: “No, I wanted to be a Podiatrist, a foot doctor. It just didn’t pan out. I found out after my freshman year first semester that I needed to like science a lot more than I did, so I switched.”

Q: Why did you choose to teach?

A: “My degree is in criminal justice, so I was a detention officer at Lake County Juvenile Center for about nine months. I became a juvenile probation officer at Porter County for two years, and a lot of the kids on my case load I’d see it in school. I would go to the school, and I would see them. I got comfortable being around in school, and I met my wife. She was a teacher at Merrillville High School. She taught special [education], and most of my kids were in special [education] case loads. So, my first job when I got hired for Lake Central was teaching special [education]. I taught emotionally handicapped students for five years.”

Q: What is your favorite part about teaching?

A: “Even though I have an idea of what I want to cover in a day, anything can be brought up in class that can be talked about. Even though it’s the same, it’s always different, and I like that. I like the variety about it, and I like the flexibility of things. I can present things this way or that way, and I have flexibility with it.”

Q: What is your most valuable memory while teaching at Lake Central?

A: “I don’t think it is one thing in particular, but I will get emails every once in a while from parents or former students letting me know where they’re at and how they’re doing. It always starts off like ‘I’m so glad I was in your class.’ I love that about this job. I love it. It’s not the money. We don’t do it for the money. That’s for sure.”

 

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