Brian Gausman was originally a student here at Grandview. Now he’s a teacher.
Story and Photos by: Paige Montgomery
Brian Gausman teaches United States History (AP and CP) and has also taught Geography, 20th Century Conflicts, Ancient Civilizations, and Government. However, he didn’t always plan to be a teacher.
“I found social studies easy, especially Geography, but I can’t say in high school I thought much about someday teaching it,” Gausman said.
Gausman went to New Mexico State University on a baseball scholarship and decided to become a teacher during college because the baseball coaches “made him go to class” in order to play baseball.
For Gausman, it was always a goal to teach here at Grandview.
When Gausman first graduated in 2007, he had the unfortunate timing to graduate in the middle of a recession.
“There wasn’t a job to be found,” Gausman commented.
From there Gausman went to Vail to work because one of his friends worked as a lift ticket scanner at the ski resort.
“I then got an opportunity to coach at Ponderosa High School — coach baseball–, and subbed half a year there. I subbed a whole year (at Grandview), trying to get my foot in the door.”
There still weren’t any positions at Grandview, so Gausman took the first opportunity that was available to him — teaching at Rangeview High School. He taught at Rangeview for 5 years then was finally able to teach here at Grandview.
“When I got hired here two years ago, it was the first time they had hired a social studies teacher in eight years. So since I graduated from college it was the first opportunity to teach at Grandview.”
Later Gausman revealed that maybe he didn’t just want to teach at Grandview necessarily but be a baseball coach.
“Why I started teaching was because I knew I wanted to be around young people, I knew I wanted to coach and teaching is coaching just in a different setting,” said Gausman.
Gausman is the Varsity pitching coach. Now that he’s at Grandview, Gausman recalled the differences of school life since he graduated in 2003.
“Grandview is a great place and if you get a chance to work here you don’t want to leave.”
“I feel like kids are pushed into AP classes a lot more now,” Gausman said. “You didn’t take an AP class until you were a senior when I was in high school. You had honors everything.”
For Gausman, there also was a big shift from student to teacher.
“I feel a lot more isolated now being a teacher because you’re in your room away from students. I saw the building. I don’t even know if I’ve been down the science wing in the two years I’ve been here.”
The demographics of Grandview and Rangeview are also widely different.
“One thing I miss about Rangeview is that it was a lot more community centered. I think a lot of it is because I’m the youngest teacher in my department by around 7 years. In my old department, I was the department chair. I was one of the older people. There were a lot of younger people and most were single so we’d hang out. Here everybody has families and other stuff to do.”
One of the pros of having an older department is that there are a lot of people to look up to. John Rios and Brad Humphries are two teachers that Gausman sees as mentors.
“[Humphries] has done the AP thing for so long that he’s a big resource.”
Gausman said that one of his favorite things as a teacher is getting students excited about the content he teaches.
“I find a lot of interest in these old dead people,” Gausman expressed.
Though, like everything, teaching has its downside.
“I would give up 30 percent of my tiny, itty bitty teacher’s salary if somebody would grade for me,” Gausman said without hesitation.
Overall, Brian Gausman has settled into the flow of Grandview and doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.
“Grandview is a great place and if you get a chance to work here you don’t want to leave.”
