Keith Schachter, finalist for the Brevard Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year award, teaches world cultures and is currently in his fourth year at Stone Middle School. Schachter’s principal, Andrew Johnson, in his recommendation letter said, “History and social studies are the boilerplate and keys to our future and Keith Schachter is a noteworthy key master.”
Married?
Yes, my wife’s name is Rebecca. We’ve been married almost 8 years.
How long have you lived in Brevard?
4th year- We came from Pompano Beach
Education?
Florida Atlantic University, B.A. Sociology, currently working towards Masters in Educational Leadership
How many years have you been teaching?
9th year in classroom
What would most people be surprised to know about you?
I’m a triplet and I also have a younger brother. We were all the first four people to graduate college in our family and all of us are teachers. My mother raised four children and we all chose to be teachers. I think that is pretty cool.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I play tennis as much as possible, and on Sundays during the football season, I religiously watch football. I’m a football nut
So what’s your favorite team?
I’ve been a MONSTER Denver Broncos fan for over 25 years!
Back to business, what inspired you to be a teacher?
Under-privileged kids. My education background in Sociology opened my eyes to the inequities that still exist in public education. We are still in a world that heavily favors students of privilege. These students enter the school system at or above the standard set by lawmakers, and so they are able to coast through school and go on to college. Under-privileged kids, however, are at a disadvantage. Many of these kids enter our system below, sometimes far below, the standard. This is primarily due to the lack of education they have received prior to entering the system. Unfortunately, not enough attention is paid to this reality. I don’t think our system is entirely fair, so I teach to try and level the playing field. Teachers are powerful agents of influence, especially with under-privileged kids.
What is your favorite book?
“The Education of a Coach” by David Halberstam. It’s a book about Bill Belichick, and it provides insight into how Coach Belichick got to where he is today. I have a deep respect for his coaching genius, and it was neat to read the book. It is interesting that much of his success can be linked to his father’s influence. He was lucky to have that, unlike many kids. And again, that is why I teach.
What is one piece of technology that you cannot live without?
My Apple computer
PC or Mac?
I’m a HUGE Mac fan! Great computers.
