Ryan Brown is an English teacher at Hoffman Estates High School, which also is his alma mater. He teaches freshman English and advanced placement language and composition—and that's just a small part of his resume and the reason he was named the first-ever Suburbs' Top Teachers award-winner, in a continuing series from the Daily Herald.
This is Brown's 13th year overall as a teacher, and he has taught at Hoffman Estates since 2003. Brown, though, is much more than a simple in-classroom-teacher. Just consider:
—He is the school's head coach for boys' gymnastics, a sport he actually competed in while a student at this northwest suburban school.
—He is the sponsor for the school's Student Council.
—He is the co-sponsor for PALS/HOPE, a volunteer group.
—He is the co-sponsor for the school's gay-straight alliance (GSA).
—He is the sponsor and editor of the Literary Magazine.
—He is the founder of a peer tutoring program.
Brown was nominated for the Daily Herald distinction, awarded to outstanding suburban teachers, by senior Cheri Wilson, 18, of Hanover Park, a former student of his who he also coached in gymnastics.
The award, Brown said, "was shocking," and he was "honored, quite humbled" to receive it.
"I work with an amazing group of teachers, not just in my department, but within the whole [school]—and the award could have been [presented] to any of the teachers here at this school.
"I do what I do because I love my job; I love my school, I love my kids. I do what I do for those reasons and more. This award doesn't necessarily change anything that I'm doing; it just kind of validates what I'm doing."
He said the Daily Herald honor ranks "pretty high up there," as do the regular letters and emails he receives from former students, telling how much of an impact he made on their lives. "Those letters or emails are just as touching. Those are private recognitions, whereas this award is more public," he said.
Brown, 35, lives in Schaumburg and is openly gay. He previously taught at as a substitute teacher at Conant High School and as a sixth-grade reading teacher at Carpentersville Middle School.
So what makes a good teacher?
One who really cares, that's the key. That means caring about the subject [being taught], but also, about the kids. [Also] one who tries to get students to reach their best, keeping all of their differences in mind," Brown said. "The people I work with are amazing, absolutely amazing."
Brown does not work directly now with any of his former high school teachers, but he has, such as Kathy Wandro, a former English teacher who is now retired. Her husband, Bill, also taught at the school and was Hoffman Estates head basketball coach before retiring.
"She was a great influence on my teaching career, and me as a student, and even just moving me in the direction of [becoming a] teaching," Brown said. "He inspired me as a coach. I watched him over the years and saw how amazing he was as a coach, and I strive to be a coach like Coach Bill Wandro."
Brown is in his second season as the school's head boys' gymnastics coach, assisted by Scott Phillips who, ironically, was the school's head coach when Brown was a student and team member.
"I've gotten to watch a lot of boys turn into men over the years through gymnastics," Brown said. "Gymnastics is not a sport for everyone; it's hard, so, to watch them grow and develop, it's been awesome.
"I've also learned a lot about myself as the coach—about patience, pushing kids to their limit, accepting their best as their best which sometimes is hard, and more."
Brown has been the volunteer sponsor for Hoffman Estates' GSA for about four years. The school's GSA was first formed years ago by a lesbian librarian, Brown said, and the group's meetings then were held, literally, in a small closet and the GSA ultimately disbanded.
About four years ago, two out students pushed to re-form the school's GSA, said Brown, who was one of several that year who agreed to be its faculty sponsor.
"At that point, I wasn't necessarily out to the school," Brown said. "I was out in terms of my family and friends [knowing], even [to] teachers in the building, but not to students. That's not to say I was hiding [my sexual orientation] because there were some students who knew, but it just wasn't something that I talked about."
Brown said the school's GSA offers students a place to meet, talk, vent, learn and see gay life from another vantage point. The group has had several guest speakers, "which have been interesting for them," Brown said.
There was the panel discussion earlier this year, attended by more than 100 people (students and staff), featuring the mother of the GSA student president, Brown's sister and best friend, plus a social worker whose sister is gay. All people on the panel were straight, and the discussion centered on what it is like for them when they have a loved-one who is gay, how it impacts their lives.
"What [that panel discussion did personally] was, it answered some questions for people," about my orientation, Brown said.
Brown said the Hoffman Estates GSA has students from all grades and its members cross all colors of the gay rainbow.
Brown came out at 15.
"I'm pretty comfortable with who I am, so [coming out years ago] didn't really affect me all that much," he said.
"I don't teach as a gay teacher, but, if [gay questions] come up, I have a background to discuss it, if it is relevant," added Brown, who admits that gay, and even questioning students, often and easily gravitate to him.
Hoffman Estates is very open and accepting, Brown said. The school also is very diverse, he said in terms of culture, language, ethnicity, socio-economic status and education levels. "We truly are priming kids for the real world," Brown said. "With so many different walks of life, that's what we really wanted with GSA—to be able to expose the beauty of all people, and I think we definitely are doing that."
Brown is now single, kind of by choice, he said. "It's hard to get someone to accept my schedule, and I just won't settle for the wrong person," he said. "I have dated some wonderful, wonderful, wonderful men, and they will be wonderful, wonderful, wonderful boyfriends and husbands for others, just not for me."
Brown, in his role leading the Student Council, said his goal is "for them to be the voice and the face of the student, so all things spirit and positive come through us.
"It's been a great year, probably one of the best years of teaching that I've had in terms of new experiences," he said.
That would include winning a top award.
