Teaching is a profession that requires individuals to not only educate students but to connect with them and help them grow. Valparaiso High School (VHS) Teacher David Prokop makes it his mission to establish that connection with his students.
Originally from Fort Wayne, Prokop attended Valparaiso University before becoming a special education teacher at VHS where he has been for five years. Prokop’s love of teaching began in high school when he participated in a teaching academy program.
“I set that up in my schedule, and we got to do observations, field experience, and student teaching. So I just kind of fell in love with working in the special education environment,” Prokop said. “I did that throughout all four years of my high school.”
Though he realized his passion for teaching in high school, Prokop’s love for special education specifically began in middle school when he was lab partners with a special education student.
“When I was in middle school, I went to science class and I was late to class–not surprisingly–and I had to sit in the last seat left in the room. The person you were sitting next to had to be your lab partner for the whole year, and my lab partner was a student who was in special education,” Prokop said. “So, I got close to him throughout that whole middle school year of working with him, and I understood how his life was–his struggles and how he adapts to it. It was really cool to see how he still made everything work for him.”
As a special education teacher, Prokop builds connections with his students and helps them find their strengths.
“I’m really big on relationships and connections. Once you build those relationships and realize that these students have all these different abilities, strengths, weaknesses, but they all find a way to adapt and live their best life, it’s really special,” Prokop said. “I help them by finding out what those strengths are and showcasing them.”
Prokop’s goal as a teacher is to bring awareness to the fact that his students are not much different than anyone else. They each have their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses, just like all other students.
“People think there’s a huge gap between special education students and others. My goal is to get everyone included and realize that these students aren't that much different,” Prokop said.
Prokop also builds connections with students through coaching. Prokop is the varsity assistant coach for the VHS Boys Basketball Team as well as the head coach for the VHS Unified Track & Field Team. The track & field team, which was the 2019 IHSAA state champions, focuses on bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities.
“Throughout teaching, we make a lot of connections with our students but it's on an academic basis,” said Prokop. “When you coach these kids you get to see them in a different light, you get really connected with them, and you get to see who these kids are outside the classroom.”
Prokop emphasizes connection because he realizes that some students may not have a great support system outside of school.
“I think the biggest thing is that not all the students I get to work with have that male figure in their life, so just trying to provide that to them as much as I can is important,” Prokop said. “I was lucky enough to have great parents, but not everyone has that luxury, so if I can provide that even in the smallest way possible, I succeeded.”
In his free time, Prokop enjoys spending time with his wife and his two dogs. Recently, Prokop’s free time has been spent preparing for their first child who is due later this year.