Teacher Interview

Teacher+Interview

Lawler White, Contributor

What made you choose Savannah Country day?

Mr. Heyward thought it was a good opportunity for an excuse to come back home since he was born and raised in Savannah and he also wanted to teach at a place that he was unfamiliar with. Mr. Heyward also chose SCDS because he felt wanted by the upper school staff and loved the “vibe” as well as the kindness he received from the students when he toured our campus. 

Have you felt accepted into the SCDS community?

Mr. Heyward said that he definitely has felt accepted by the country day community. He said that he has not only made connections with his students but also with students who he doesn’t teach. Mr. Heyward believed that SCDS is a very welcoming community and he thinks that it’s all about what you make of it. From the very first day, Mr. Heyward has shown his school spirit by participating in school events and has shown his support for his students through sporting and theatrical events. He has seen how his support for the students has reflected back at him and says that the Savannah Country Day Community will always be special to him 

What’s your favorite SCDS sport to watch?

Mr. Heyward loves basketball and says it’s his favorite sport to watch at SCDS, but won’t say if the boy’s or girl’s team is his favorite team to watch. 

What’s your favorite lunch?

General Tso chicken or pulled pork barbecue sandwiches with sweet potato fries 

What’s your favorite subject to teach and why do you love teaching it 

Mr. Heyward said his favorite subject to teach is definitely AP Gov. Early in his childhood Mr. Heyward wanted to be a teacher when he grew up, but he ended up taking a different route. In college, Mr.Heyward changed his major multiple times but finally graduated from Kennesaw state university with a major in Political science because he realized he understood little information about the politics that were going on during his time in college. Wanting to have more of an understanding of the way the government works is what led him to find his love of Poli-sci. He intended to work for different political campaigns but then covid hit so he started thinking about teaching again. He started subbing as a sixth-grade history teacher during his senior year of college and soon realized that he wanted to teach high school students in order to inform them about the ways of politics since it has become a major part of our lives. Mr. Heyward loves teaching AP Government because he is fascinated by the systems of government and he enjoys educating younger people on how those systems work. He also loves creating an environment for the younger people, who already know how these systems work, to have a place to discuss and debate their opinions. 

What’s one word to describe your personality?

Energetic – Mr. Heyward

If you could give one piece of advice to the Senior class, what would it be?

Even though it is very cliche Mr. Heyward says that you have to believe in yourself. You have to be your number one cheerleader because sometimes in your life you will have no one in your corner who can see your vision for your own life. This means that you are the only one who truly knows how you want your life to be formed. You have to say that you believe in yourself, you know your goals, you see which way you need to go, and finally, you just need to be the driving force in your life. Mr. Heyward also adds that throughout the course of your life your friends and family will put thoughts of self-doubt in your head, but you have to push all of those outside voices aside since you know what’s best for you in the end. Finally, Mr. Heyward concluded with the statement that if you are truly passionate and invested in something then you will achieve those goals through hard work and determination.

 What’s your favorite holiday?

Mr. Hayward’s favorite holiday is Christmas. He loves everything about this holiday from the music and presents to the quality time spent with family and the delicious food. He also enjoys watching holiday movies like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Christmas Story. 

If you could choose one place to spend the rest of your life, where would it be?

Mr. Heyward said that he could never see himself permanently settling down somewhere. He thinks that there is always an adventure waiting and when you stay in one place for the rest of your life, you miss out on so many different and unique opportunities. Even though he could never spend the rest of his life in one place, Mr. Heyward said that he could see himself spending a few years in Greece.