TEACHER OF INTEREST
The HISTORY EDUCATOR
Luca Bradley, who returned to his alma mater, Fort Pierce Central High School, four years ago, uses props and active forms of learning to pique his students’
In 2007, Luca Bradley was proudly walking the halls of
86
Fort Pierce Central High School as a popular multisport
athlete heading into his senior year. Today, more than
10 years later, he proudly walks the halls of the new
Fort Pierce Central High School, having been designated the
school’s Teacher of the Year.
Bradley’s family moved from Stuart to southwestern Port
St. Lucie after he had completed middle school. High school
choices weren’t available back then and Bradley was scheduled
to attend Fort Pierce Central High School, then located
on Edwards Road.
“We lived way out in the Becker Road area,” Bradley said.
“There was nothing out there. The school bus picked us up at
5 a.m. I lettered in three sports: football, soccer and tennis. I
was academically inclined and played soccer for a few years
in college.”
Returning to Fort Pierce, he finished his degrees at Indian
River State College and went to work for the Marriott hotel
chain. When he began to think about leaving the corporate
world, he remembered that as a child he thought how interesting
teachers were.
ANTHONY INSWASTY
“I decided that if I was going to do this (switch careers), I
would need to see what teaching was all about. So, I signed
up to be a substitute teacher,” Bradley said.
After completing a few classes and examinations, Bradley
began teaching 10th- and 11th-grade students at Central. He
teaches several levels of U.S. history. The regular and honors
students study the period from the Civil War until the end
of the Cold War era (1990s), which is dictated by Florida
Sunshine State Standards. His AP (Advanced Placement)
level covers from 1491 (the year before Columbus landed in
the New World) until present day. This coverage of material
is guided by the College Board Standards and is needed so
students will do well on their AP exams.
“We do all kinds of things in class,” Bradley said while
sitting in his classroom filled with props and artwork from all
periods of American history.
“We use debates. We use technology – Kahoot! – which is a
way to query students online. They log onto the website with
their phones and answer the question. I also do lectures, but >>
interests in his U.S. history classes.
BY PATTIE DURHAM
Trends In Education