JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Our Teacher of the Week is from San Mateo Elementary in Jacksonville, and he’s a music instructor!
Mr. Andrew Lodge has been a teacher for three years, and he’s one of the top five finalists for Duval County Public School’s Teacher of the Year.
I’m the Teacher of the Week on the news… the news I watch every morning, so it’s just surreal and it’s funny,” said Lodge. “With music, I teach the whole school and I get more connection, more discipline with everybody."
Lodge says teaching was a different path than he planned to take, but he feels it was worth it.
“At first I almost didn’t go into teaching and I wanted to do stuff with computers and stuff like that, but I just felt a connection with the new generation and connecting with younger people,” said Lodge.
As for the awards that have come along with teaching, Lodge says he never expected any of it.
“I don’t like accolades, I’d rather be in the background just doing my job and going home, I don’t need to be in front of the camera and I don’t want the titles,” he said.
To vote for your favorite educator, go to firstcoastnews.com/education.