Mr. Hulsen – Production Tech

Mr. Hulsen is a production tech and technology/computer’s teacher. He is also the head coach for the Technology Student Association club and the girls’ golf coach.

Q1: What was the most difficult thing for you this year?

A: Getting a classroom ready to go, and knowing that in the previous building I was at I had everything kind of in place, where it was at. I felt pretty comfortable with everything, and here I had everything brand new and figuring out a location for all the supplies and knowing you are ready for each and every class day.

Q2: What has made you feel most accomplished this year?

A: Love the new ideas of teaching and learning in the classroom that we’re not able to do. Partnering with our elective classes with the core classes, the idea we can do some new curriculum with new concepts and new ideas in the classroom.

Q3: What was your fondest memory of this year?

A: I love the cohesiveness our staff has it’s really good. Plus its really cool to see a bunch of kids from different schools all come in and be able to merge as one group and buy into Olathe West and all things we are trying to do as a new school.

Q4: What new opportunities did you have this that you didn’t have last year?

A: Project-based learning is a different mindset where you’re giving up some of the classroom instruction time versus letting the kids do a lot of the learning on their own and then facilitating as an instructor. That was definitely an opportunity I didn’t embrace as much as my other building. This year, it’s been very much promoted which has been awesome. An awesome addition to the school and an awesome addition to the staff members that have embraced it.

Q5: What have you learned this year that you want to emphasize better next year?

A: The idea that we can get kids out in front of adults and put products out there for public display as a huge deal. I think it’s been really impactful and sometimes stressful for the kids but to get them out there to get it in front of those groups of people it builds the  level of product development significantly because kids know that they’re not showing it off to just themselves and their peers but they’re bringing it in front of other admin or public outside figures, they want to make sure they step up their game a little bit and I think that’s pretty awesome.