Garrett Lane: From small town to Air Force to teacher

GENEVA – After he served in the Air Force, Garret Lane knew what he wanted to do: “And that was to be an educator in some sense.”

This is his first year as a physical education teacher at Geneva Middle School South.

He taught high school and middle school special education for the first eight years at other districts. Four years ago he began teaching middle school special ed in Geneva, followed by three years teaching high school special ed. Lane also coaches middle school football.

Lane said he based his decision to become a teacher on three educators in his life that showed him they cared.

“I was a struggling learner growing up, so to have that support system solidified what I wanted to do later in life,” Lane said.

Though Lane said he had never really imagined that he wanted to be a teacher – one of his best friend’s cousins with Down syndrome changed his mind.

Though he has since passed away, Lane got to know him throughout high school “and his passion for life was something I adored,” he said.

“I wanted to help kiddos who might not want to be at school. That’s why I went into special ed,” Lane said. “I predominantly did co-teaching students with learning disabilities … kiddos I could relate with back in my day in middle school and high school. … I taught personal finance, government and pre-algebra.”

Since he began teaching in Geneva, he’s had two children and wanted to change his career route a bit so he could spend more time with them and his wife.

Hence the change to teaching physical education.

“I love it,” he said. “It’s what I’m supposed to be doing … I love to see the energy. And that’s one thing I like to bring – a positive attitude and energy throughout my career as a classroom teacher. I was labeled as a ‘loud’ teacher, because I get so enthusiastic.”

Lane introduced himself to middle school parents in an email, stating he was an Air Force veteran originally from Bement – a small town in Illinois with less than 2,000 people.

“This will be my 1st year in Physical Education, and I am excited to start the year!” Lane’s wrote. “I look forward to learning from every student and seeing them flourish.”

In an email, Geneva Middle School Principal Terry Bleau wrote that from the first day Lane was in the building, “he demonstrated that his greatest asset was his ability to build relationships with students.”

“Mr. Lane will testify that he struggled in school as a child, and this has helped him when working with students who do not understand the material the first time presented,” Bleau wrote. “He understands their challenges and respectfully supports them through these moments in time.”

The school missed him when he went to teach at the high school, but welcomed him back as a physical education teacher, Bleau wrote.

“Every student needs to know they have at least one person at the school who they can count on when they are having a bad day,” Bleau wrote. “Mr. Lane will certainly be that person for many of the students.”