Scott Coonfare

Scott Coonfare is a testament to the effect teachers can have on their students. Like the high school teacher who inspired him, Coonfare guides his students to succeed at projects they never imagined they could do. Now a science and engineering teacher at Sparkman High School, he is beloved for his passion, creativity, and dedication to making science and engineering accessible.

"Mr. Coonfare is dedicated to the education of our students and consistently goes above and beyond to inspire them,” one colleague shared. “He incorporates fun with learning, and I have yet to meet a student who doesn’t love him.”

Formerly a fine-dining chef and restaurant owner, today, Coonfare is engaging his students through drone engineering programs and research for space missions. 

Learn how Scott Coonfare is challenging his students and normalizing mistakes below.

Getting to Know You

What inspired you to become a teacher, and how did your journey in education begin?

In high school, my language arts teacher / basketball / cross country coach had a tremendous effect on me. As a result, I wanted to become a high school teacher and took the classes in college. When I graduated, I knew I wasn't ready to teach and went into the culinary field. Twenty-two years later, I went back to take classes to become a teacher, and it is the best job I have ever had. I am still trying to emulate my teacher from high school.

What is your favorite part of teaching, and how does it keep you motivated?

My absolute favorite part is challenging students to do things they never thought they could do. Taking them out of their comfort zone and presenting them with work that is harder for them because it is totally different than a typical classroom. Then seeing them meet the challenge and push themselves even further is very motivational for me.

What’s something unique about your classroom or teaching style that helps your students succeed?

From day one, I tell them that having fun is the reason I teach, and I want to show them that school/work should be fun. I celebrate when mistakes are made to show everyone that it is okay to do so. You learn what not to do. Asking questions and working with others is not what typical high school students do. Also, on the fun part, I create the mood by always playing music and singing to them when they walk in.

 Outside of the classroom, how do you recharge or find inspiration?

I find inspiration and am recharged through my wife, Dana, of 35 years of marriage. We love to go walking, hiking, and traveling. During the summer, we go to Europe and walk from town to town and try to take it all in. Just being outside and walking helps so much.

If you could share one thing about yourself that your students or colleagues might not know, what would it be?

I am a certified executive chef who graduated first in my culinary class. I went back to school after 13 years to be officially trained in the culinary field. I used to be an executive chef at a high-end, fine dining restaurant as well as a chef with the highest grossing…U.S. restaurant. Finally, my wife and I opened our own restaurant in downtown Tampa.

Classroom Impact

Can you share a story about a time you made a lasting impact on a student’s life?

Without question, when I was able to teach a student how to read. Luz could speak English, but that was all. She was fluent in Spanish. I was able to see her reading troubles and see she was at a kindergarten reading level at best. We worked together, and I gave her strategies to help. She would come into class whenever she could, and she’d try really hard to improve. She always asked questions until she got it and wasn’t afraid to make a mistake as a result.

Within just a few months, she was up to a 5th grade reading level, and she could not be stopped. I saw her a few years later. She said it saved her and helped her be on [grade] level in all her classes. She enrolled in the U.S. military and had a proud career. I’m just glad that I was able to help.

What’s the most memorable moment you’ve had while teaching?

The most memorable thing is when I had two students, and I tried to get them interested in science and space. Initially, they had zero interest in science and space. I had them start a project with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that I had found online. They were to research Mars and try to predict dust storms on Mars. When I told them that NASA thinks it can’t be done as we have not been able to do it here on Earth or Mars, they took that as a challenge. And within two months of research, they passed what I knew.

I got in contact with the organizer of the project at JPL. He worked with them for two months and then sent me an email saying they were past him, and he was dropping [the project]. They were devastated, but I asked a contact out in California if she knew anybody. She found them the #2 official at JPL in charge of Mars! He read their work and said that it was on the same level as what is placed on his desk every day. He said he would not only work with them but hire them. They graduated high school a very short time later and went to college, where they kept working on dust storms. I found out that after three years of research, they are publishing their paper. They both are at college with aerospace astrophysics majors and working on many other classified space programs. I am very proud of them.

How do you create a classroom environment that fosters curiosity and connection for every student?

I try and do this with the help of NASA, JPL, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) science projects they offer. The programs I choose are the ones where students are divided up into teams of eight to ten with everyone having different responsibilities. They can pick their jobs based on their interests and then start working towards the project-based goal.

Their biggest challenge is not the science but working together with others they may not know or like. Also, meeting deadlines and not making excuses. The students love this as they are being treated like adults, and it provides them with a glimpse of what their future may be like. They understand the need to ask questions and learn from their mistakes. Once they see that they made a mistake and they are not penalized for it, it opens up so much to them. That’s the secret. They are able to find something they like to do and get better at it.

Reflection and Advice

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in teaching?

It is totally alright to make mistakes! Be open about it to the students and learn from them. The students will see that you are trying your best, and you have the strength to share your mistakes as you make them in class. You get more respect, and you as a person learn from it more than any book can teach you. 

Also, ask other teachers for help or ideas. What is it that they find success with? It may not be for you, but maybe you can take it and make it yours in some way.

If you could share one piece of wisdom with students graduating in 2024-2025, what would it be?

• Please do not worry about your GPA. I know this may trouble some, but it is far more important for the student to concentrate on passing the class first and foremost. By doing this, your GPA will be fine as you are doing the best you can do.
• Please sit in front of your college class and always ask questions! Put the work on your own terms for it to make sense to you, and if you still have questions, then go see the professor.
• Talk to other students to help them study, get work done but also to get their thoughts and viewpoints. By having others to talk to, it will help you internalize the information.
• Make mistakes, find out why, and be better for it! If you’re not going to college, forget sitting in front of class, but everything else is still the same. Push yourself to know!

APT and PBS LearningMedia

How do resources like APT and PBS LearningMedia fit into your teaching approach, and what difference have they made in your classroom?

This is the easy question. The current shows and videos that you provide are amazing! The content is great. The students always watch, even if the subject may not be one that interests them. By doing this, it gives them visual information that they need to learn.

The four videos that I took a screenshot of are priceless!! I use all of these to show the students where and how to get information to use it to solve their work in the classroom and on projects.

Aptv.org — I have students use this for World content, so they can get viewpoints on the subjects from around the world. I stress that they need to view as much as they can if they are going to better understand the concept or the problem. They are quite intrigued to look at other policies and views from around the world. 

For those that I know might be going into fields other than science, I have them go to Create and watch shows by the experts in their fields. Students are always shocked that I not only encourage them to but endorse them to see shows from experts in their fields. By having this material, it provides another real-world link in the classroom.

TAGGED:Teacher of the Month