Not many teachers can say they taught at the same schools their entire career — especially when that career spans four decades.
But retiring Franklin Community High School teacher John Jackson can.
For 41 years, Jackson has taught just about every subject in the social studies discipline, from geography and history to government and sociology.
He helped develop new opportunities for students to take college-level courses with Advanced Placement (AP) and Advanced College Project (ACP) classes. Once upon a time, he co-taught an integrated history and literature class with retired English teacher Ann Herron.
He expanded students’ world views. He has taken students around the globe with a travel club, and across the country for educational trips. He has encouraged students to think beyond the pages of their history books, and step into the roles of history-makers in class and Harvard Model Congress.
“If you are teaching and it is not very exciting to you, then it won’t be exciting to them. It is incumbent upon you to create a lesson plan that is going to capture their attention. I like the creativity about it and interacting with students,” Jackson said.
He didn’t have a clear career path when he started college at Indiana State University. But after a while, he settled on education, with some influence from his dad, who worked for 50 years as a math teacher and principal.
Jackson’s career started at age 22, right after he finished his master’s degree at Indiana University. His first class was in front of students who were as old as 18, and the subject was similar to today’s family and sex education curriculum that is covered in health classes.
He was down to the wire finding a job, but by a stroke of luck, he got a last-minute interview at Franklin Community Schools.
“I had a connection here and I was told a teacher resigned at the last second. So I called the principal and I asked if they would at least interview me,” Jackson said. “Somehow I got it. I got lucky.”
Jackson picked up his life in 1980 and moved to a Franklin that was much different and smaller than it is today. Over the years, he watched the city grow around him, and the schools followed suit. As the social studies department head for about 10 years, he shaped the curriculum.
Jackson was a traditional teacher in the beginning, but grew into the type of teacher kids enjoy today, he said.
About five years into his career, he started to shake things up and pitch new ideas to make subject matters more digestible. Like many teachers, he borrowed ideas from others, then gave them his own special touch, he said.
Jackson also took on roles outside of academia, as an assistant swimming coach at the high school in the 1980s, and at the middle school from 1993 to 2003.
Outside of school, he ran for city council and state representative in the 1990s. He didn’t win, but he didn’t lose his love of politics. He was tapped to serve on the Franklin Fire Merit Board during the Blankenship administration.
His love of teaching and the community kept him coming back year after year. Hanging up his hat has been hard, he said.
Last year — the 2019-20 school year — was supposed to be his last, but he stuck around another year due to the coronavirus pandemic, so he could end doing what loves most in person with his students.
“People ask me why I didn’t get out last May. But I didn’t want to let the pandemic chase me out. I didn’t want to end on that kind of note,” Jackson said.
Like everyone else in the building, he had huge adjustments to make for the past three semesters. But his high-engagement approach didn’t change, though it was challenged during the many days of hybrid instruction, he said.
Jackson’s approach to teaching is what students love about him and what colleagues admire about him, said Steve Ahaus, Franklin Community High School principal. Ahaus has worked with Jackson for about 15 years, first as a friend from the math department, then as his principal.
“He is just very passionate and energetic. He is kind of a showman in the classroom. The kids love him and teachers love working with him because he brings a positive energy,” Ahaus said.
Before he leaves the classroom for the last time, Jackson will remind his students of what he says is the most important lesson there is: Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.
“I tell kids to take risks. So I’m going to give them an example and show them a video of me tandem skydiving. I will tell them they don’t have to jump out of a plane, (but) it could be giving a speech in front of a bunch of people if that scares you, going away to college or just trying something new,” Jackson said.
In retirement, he says he will do more of what he loves outside the classroom.
“I don’t have a plan but I know I’m going to golf,” Jackson said. “I’ve got a grandson who I will be spoiling rotten. Maybe I’ll volunteer. Definitely I’ll travel.”
