Middle school is a tough time for many kids. They are forming adult identities as they wind their way down hallways filled with socially awkward young teens. They often fight peer judgment and personal insecurities.
But J.B. McNabb Middle School has just the antidote: Adam Allison.
Adam, 37, teaches drama and mock trial and is the theater director. He connects with his students on a level that not many teachers can match. Fueled by passion for the kids, and his job, it’s not unusual for Adam to arrive at 5:30 a.m. and put in a 13- or 14-hour day.
“Out of all the teachers I’ve ever had, Mr. Allison takes the cake,” says sixth-grader Davianna Gose.
When you step into Adam’s classroom at the back of the school, the change in atmosphere is immediate. There are no florescent lights. In fact, there are no overhead lights on at all. Adam keeps the windows covered and uses lamplight sparingly to set the mood.
Caden Evans, a seventh-grade drama student, says Adam makes everything fun. “His class calms me down,” he says. “My other classes stress me out and then I come to his class and I feel better.”
Adams’ teaching style is energetic and unexpected. One minute he’s jumping on a table to emphasize an idea; the next he is line dancing with students to the Cupid Shuffle. A whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm, some school days he clocks 11 miles of walking.
In the classroom he uses a highly creative, interactive teaching style to immerse and engage his students. He expresses his appreciation and provides pep talks at every turn. Adam encourages his students to celebrate their uniqueness and believe in their unlimited potential. He stops for fist bumps, high-fives and hellos as students call out to him in the halls.
Terena Wallingford, the assistant director of this year’s production of “Shrek The Musical,” marvels at his vision and says, “He makes everything so engaging!”
Adam discovered his love for acting and performance at a young age. He spent 10 years in Los Angeles pursuing a career in the entertainment world before the pull of family and a love of teaching brought him back to his home state of Kentucky.
He has been at McNabb for four years and is grateful for his supportive family and teachers who made an impact on his life. This is what Adam wants to give back to his students.
His teaching philosophy can be distilled down to one word: Love. He gets emotional talking about his students.
“I’m in love with my job,” he says. “I’m in love with my students. And I’m in love with the fact that they trust me.”
