Nicholas Hegge has been a teacher at Conestoga for six years. His senior class is on the topic of the US government. His freshman class focuses on the different countries and major geographic areas throughout the world. In addition to teaching freshmen and seniors, he is the “coach” for Mock Trial.
Hegge has taught the current freshmen class for about three quarters, and some suppose it is difficult, while others believe the class is “full of facts and interesting stories,” according to Alaina S., a geography student of Hegge. Additionally, she stated, “Overall, it has made me hungry to learn again and sparked an interest in many other parts of the world.” During the class, the students focus on different aspects of the world at a time, and Alaina S. adds that “it has allowed me to be challenged by long tests and hand-cramming essays, as well as shown me the depth that each subject now gets, not just an overview, but a look at the whole of what I'm learning.”
Safron G. is a fellow freshman student, but she also participates in Mock Trial. Mock trial, in a brief description, is “a high school and collegiate competition in which teams from different schools try cases against one [an]other,” provided by an article titled “Introduction to Mock Trial” located on the website Mock Trial Strategies. Mock Trial is “a way to learn to be confident in your public speaking abilities,” Safron G. describes. “Mr. Hegge helps prepare students for trials in Mock Trial by giving us study materials, helping us form our questions (for attorneys), and the responses (for witnesses).”
“Mr. Hegge makes class enjoyable by making jokes (even if some aren't funny), and giving informational lectures that we can understand,” Safron G. informs about Hegge. Hegge teaches kids through group discussions about a range of topics that stick with the learning process. “One lesson that stuck with me most was our look at Germany, he showed us a different look at this country that most people see as bad,” says Alaina S. “He taught us how many people were against Hitler and how they fought for their freedom.” Hegge has voiced, “My teaching style is designed around making social studies interesting to students and letting them discuss the material with other students.”
“I enjoy teaching seniors and freshmen; they each have their own unique attributes that make teaching fun,” explains Hegge. He loves teaching you, so love his teachings!
