By Michelle Mei and Charlotte Lai
A brand-new school year at SAS Pudong brought wonderful new faculty members that enlivened our community. A prominent example is Mr. David Jacobson who teaches AP World History.
If you have roamed the high school hallways long enough, you have probably caught him cracking jokes with students, fidgeting with his impressive video camera, or exploring all that our community’s got to offer. Known for his captivating sense of humor and his long, full beard, Mr. Jacobson seems to be a remarkable new addition to our campus.
Through this extensive interview we were compelled to conduct, we’ve answered our questions by investigating deep into this intriguing individual’s life, learning more about his SAS experience, personal objectives and opinions, previous teaching memories, and never-before-heard skills and interests.
Now, let’s hear Mr. Jacobson’s story…
Q: Where did you live and teach before coming to SAS?
A: I have lived all over the world, but the last place that I lived before China was the United Arab Emirates. I was a marketing director for one of the largest school systems in the world — Beaconhouse Private Schools, out of Lahore, Pakistan, and I was responsible for the Middle East and African regions. Additionally, I have also taught videography and photography. After I moved to China, I began teaching history, which I have my master’s degree in. I continued teaching videography and photography, and I coached basketball on the side. And now that I have moved to Shanghai American School, I am teaching AP World History and Asian History.
Q: Why did you decide to make this transition?
A: SAS has a really strong reputation in China; and as a tier-one school, it is a great opportunity for me to be part of a learning community that is established and productive. It’s somewhere where I could grow as a teacher and be surrounded by brilliant students like you!
Q: What difficulties did you experience coming to Shanghai and making this transition?
A: No, it was rather easy. We were in Kunshan, which was halfway between here and Suzhou city, so the transition for us was much easier than for people coming from outside the country or even from other cities in China.
Q: How is teaching in Kunshan different from teaching in Shanghai, China?
A: The previous school that I taught in was a bilingual school, so 99.9% of the students that I was teaching were Chinese nationals with very limited English capabilities. It has been a pleasant change to teach kids who have exceedingly high English abilities because teaching history has its own kind of vocabulary and its assumptions based on comprehension, so it was difficult to teach to people who were struggling with the language.
Q: How has your experience in SAS been like so far?
A: It has been wonderful! I love my room, I love my students, and I love my co-workers! So far, I feel like my wife and I have been treated extremely well. I have a son in sixth grade, and he really likes this school, which is very different from the last, I would say, five years of schools that he has been in. This has definitely been his favorite so far.
Q: Is there something you like the most about our school or our community?
A: I like the approach to learning here. It is a much more laid-back atmosphere, which I feel is more conducive to education. Because when you are more strict and more regimented, I feel like it just breaks everything down into chunks of knowledge that are better regurgitated like the traditional Chinese system. Whereas here, I feel like it’s a more open and free exchange of ideas, which I believe is much more conducive to learning.
Q: In your opinion, what are some qualities that make up a good school?
A: I have been to schools that looked fantastic on the outside, had wonderful facilities, and had terrible people working in them. The things that make up a really good school for me are the intangibles. You must have good teachers who are all on the same page and are motivated by one thing, which is educating children and doing it in a way that is going to be productive. When you institute too many rules or invite people who have very rigid ways of approaching education, it becomes a problem.
Q: Since we asked about the qualities you look for in a school, what are some qualities that you look for in the students you teach?
A: I would say that the number one quality is an open mind, and it’s really best if students approach each subject with positive intent.
Q: What is your goal as a teacher this year, and what do you wish to achieve at our school?
A: My goal as a teacher this year is to grow professionally and to establish good relationships with not only my colleagues but with my students as well. In the long run, I really want to develop a good reputation here with everyone that I work with. And honestly, I want my son to go to a school that both he and I can be proud of and that he succeeds in.
With his optimistic approach to both his life and his students’ learning, Mr. Jacobson’s passion and vivacity can be reflected in the different professions and jobs he has tried. Having been a marketing director, videographer, and even a basketball coach, Mr. Jacobson’s diverse talents are apparent.
Due to the lasting impact of Covid-19, this pandemic has not only influenced the lives of our community but also brought challenges to international teachers. Despite these challenges, Mr. Jacobson has gone above and beyond when it comes to his student’s education and created innovative and creative ways to bring life into his classroom. SAS has provided its students with the fertile soil and components to thrive, thanks to its tight-knit supportive community.