Though Mr. Elfers has only been at Mountain Lakes for 5 months, he has undeniably made an enormous impact on the MLHS community. Mr. Elfers taught AP Government & Politics, as well as US History 2, in place of Mrs. Gillespie, who has recently returned from maternity leave. Armed with a “Fun Fact of the Day,” Mr. Elfers found a way to bring energy, enthusiasm, and excitement into his classroom, easing student stress. It is clear that during his time at MLHS, he strived to prepare his students for the AP exam (and life!) by educating them on a mixture of current and historical events. He was not afraid to bring many intense “hot button” topics to the table in his classroom.
He should be applauded for his ability to handle issues sensitively while allowing students with different perspectives to share their opinions. He established a classroom environment that demanded all students be heard and respected, which is not an easy task. With frequent class discussions, he challenged students to think critically and deeply about an issue, encouraging them to consider other contexts or viewpoints before forming opinions. While Mr. Elfers used materials provided to him by Mrs. Gillespie, he always added his own insightful and enriching commentary. He showed an understanding for the stresses faced by MLHS students and always gave plenty of time to complete assignments and study for assessments.
He clearly left quite the mark on those who were fortunate enough to spend four days a week (or sometimes three…block scheduling!) in his classroom. Here are some quotes from those he taught:
“He connected really well with students. His class was serious when it needed to be, but most of the time it was enjoyable AND educational.”
“Mr. Elfers was a great substitute and always made sure his students understood each and every concept.”
“As someone who is going to be voting soon, I appreciate all that Mr. Elfers taught me about our government. I know that I can use this information for the rest of my life. I also feel that he prepared us well for the AP Governemnt Exam.”
“Mr. Elfers made sure his students were never overwhelmed by the material — his main goal was to make sure that each student succeeded.”
“I will always associate US government and politics with Mr. Elfers’ teaching. He always elaborated on topics for which we had questions and gave us plenty of class time to practice for the AP exam.”
“Aside from being an excellent teacher, Mr. Elfers was an excellent listener and discussion moderator. AP Government introduced us to many controversial topics, and with Mr. Elfers’ guidance, we were able to navigate them through thoughtful consideration of conflicting perspectives and reflection on our peers opinions. We will miss him!”
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