Colony teacher has equation for success

PALMER — In and out of the classroom, Jeff Bowker could make the Energizer Bunny beg for a break.

To say the veteran Colony High School math teacher is passionate would be a gross understatement. Bowker is one of two original teachers who opened Colony High in 1991, along with physical education teacher Dawn Brettrager. When Brettrager retires at the end of this school year, Bowker will be the official Knights ironman in the classroom.

The 22-year Mat-Su Borough School District math teacher was honored last week as BP’s Mat-Su Teacher of the Year and one of seven BP Teachers of Excellence in the district.

CHS Principal Cyd Duffin said the honor is long overdue for Bowker.

“He has just got this fervent passion for teaching and a great heart for kids,” she said. “I’ve gone into his classroom many times and every kid is engaged. He is outrageously enthusiastic.”

Outrageous enthusiasm explodes from Bowker, who started his teaching career 22 years ago at Wasilla Middle School. Two years later he moved to Colony High. When asked about what it takes to connect with kids and make them love mathematics, Bowker lights up with animation.

“I absolutely love my kids and my classroom,” he said, adding passion is key to success in any field. “It is the single core thing that drives me. And I tell them they have to try. No one has ever made a last-second shot who didn’t take a last-second shot. Dare to be something, don’t be invisible. I want all my students to be difference-makers.”

Being a difference-maker goes for the teacher as well, Bowker said. He embraces his place in the classroom and as a role model. He also believes teachers need to have great faith in their students and what they can accomplish.

“There’s no doubt in my mind my students are going to do great things, and I hold them to a higher standard,” he said.

One example he tells is about a speech he gave to students before prom. He imparted some advice to the young men that they should not only respect the rules the fathers of their dates set out, but to bring them home 15 minutes early.

“I wanted it to be a message of prom being a respectful night,” he said.

At least with one young man, the message was received. Following prom, the teen, who hasn’t exactly been a model student in the past, approached Bowker and said he took the teacher’s advice and had his date home 30 minutes early.

The reason also impressed the teacher. “He said it was because he didn’t want to look back (on his prom night) and be ashamed of anything he did.”

Some may question whether all the charisma, passion and energy in the world can make learning mathematics fun, but Bowker debunks those doubters.

“You have to connect with kids,” he said. “Nobody wants their head popped open and just pour something in. If you can do math, you can do anything. Everything in life comes down to math.”

To accomplish this, Bowker learns what passions his students have and uses them to teach math. That his lessons teach more than just algebra and geometry shows when former students visit him at Colony, he said.

“You know what’s funny? Some of the kids who keep up with me now are the ones who failed my class,” he said.

But he admits that all the passion, energy and personal connections in the world can’t reach every student.

That’s one of the secrets to his longevity, Bowker said. At a point in his career when other teachers may be burning out, he’s as enthusiastic as his first day in the classroom.

“You don’t stay in this profession 22, 29, 30 years if you don’t make a difference,” he said.

And that ability to change and adapt is key. As an example, Bowker said there’s a big difference in the mentality of students today compared to 20 years ago.

“I’m battling that right now,” he said. “There is a sense of entitlement that wasn’t there 22 years ago.”

Why that is “is a number of things,” he said. But don’t try to give him excuses for personal choices. “Anyone who uses family as an excuse, shame on you. Don’t get me wrong, there are some real family issues out there. But in the end (people) make their own choices.”

Now that he’s BP’s Mat-Su Teacher of the Year, what’s next for Bowker? Same as the past 22 years, he said. “Back to the kids.”

Along with his 22-year teaching career in the Mat-Su, Jeff Bowker has been a longtime basketball coach in the district. Until this past season, he coached 19 years with the Colony High boys team — including seven as head coach. For more on Bowker’s coaching career, including a new gig behind the whistle for the Colony girls, see today’s Sports section.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.