January 13, 2023
"He is always putting in 110% to teach all of the curriculum to us, and to go along with it, he makes sure he gets to know everyone on a personal level and is just an all-around awesome person," said one student.
Eric Caudill 13’, a math teacher at Saint Xavier High School, Louisville was recently selected as St. X Teacher of the Year for 2022. He was nominated by his students and described as extremely thorough yet approachable.
Caudill is a two-time alumnus of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). In 2013, he earned a bachelor of science in middle and secondary education with a certification in secondary/ high school mathematics. Later, he earned the online instructional technology teaching endorsement (P-12).
Caudill sat down with the CEHD to reflect on his journey post-graduation and the award.
Q: What inspired you to become a teacher? Why did you choose mathematics?
Caudill: My mother was an elementary school teacher so I’m sure that played a subliminal role, but I realized in my junior year of high school. I noticed my mathematics teacher because his teaching style was different from others. He would teach us the content and then let us do group work and team teaching to model the activities. After having formal training, I realized how brilliant he was because he was able to get us to talk about math and engage with the material. That experience put me in front of my peers working through problems and helping others work through mistakes. I was forced to develop a deeper understanding of the content which made me realize that I was talented in that area. I decided right there that I wanted to pursue secondary education in mathematics.
Q: Where has your career taken you since graduating? Do you feel that the CEHD prepared you well for what you’re doing now?
Caudill: My first job right after I graduated was at Phoenix School of Discovery which is an alternative school inside of Valley High School. There I had a lot of new experiences with different populations. After that, I worked at Ballard which is also where I did my student teaching. So, the university already gave me that relationship. UofL provided me with mentor teachers and a strong student teaching experience.
Q: How did you feel when you found out that you had won this award at St. X? What does it mean to you?
Caudill: It’s a student-nominated award so it’s nice to be appreciated by them. It is important to me that I take extra time to build those relationships whether that’s through extracurricular activities, checking on students I previously taught, or being present outside of the classroom. What made me feel the most special is that to win this award you need more nominations than just your current students. That means that students I previously taught voted for me because I’ve made some kind of impact on their learning.
The math department at St. X is so strong and many of them have won awards in the past. I see the work that other teachers are putting in and know that any of them would be worthy of this award so to earn it myself is an honor.
Q: Did any professors at UofL have a big impact on you? If so, please share who and how.
Caudill: Two professors come to mind: Dr. Penny Howell and Dr. Jenny Bay-Williams. Dr. Howell taught me so much about building relationships. She emphasized the need to bring the human component into the educational field. Dr. Bay-Williams ended up being my mentor and really rounded out my teaching experience through advice for fostering conversation, guidance on formative assessments, and walk-throughs of KTIP paperwork. She taught me how to make my lessons special and emphasized student engagement. My wife is also an educator and talks about Dr. Bay-Williams’ book often.
Q: What advice would you share with current CEHD students?
Caudill: I would tell them, at least from my experience, that it is going to take a long time to implement everything that you’re learning and figure out how your style is going to interact with whatever type of school you’re in. It will be at least a two-to-five-year learning process of establishing how you want things. The first year is challenging and you might want to give up. I felt that way, but then I started to understand my own strengths and weaknesses. Even after that, there are still many years of growth and learning; that never really stop. It can be hard, but it does get easier. I’m coming up on ten years now and I know that it can take a long time to feel comfortable in this field.
Q: What’s been your favorite moment at St. X?
Caudill: We did a staff versus staff basketball game during the school day last year to celebrate the students. The game ended up going into double overtime. The school needed to dismiss students, so the president announced that the next shot wins. I ended up hitting a really long-distance three-pointer and winning the game. The juniors and seniors got a dress-down day since my team won so they stormed onto the court afterward. Honestly, that probably got me some of the Teacher of the Year votes but that was a great moment with my school.
If you’re interested in becoming a high school teacher, click here for more information.
About the College of Education and Human Development:
Founded in 1968, the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) is a vibrant community that prepares students for leadership in a variety of metropolitan settings including schools, public and private corporations, and governmental agencies.
CEHD embraces the University's mission to advance the intellectual, cultural, and economic development of our diverse communities and citizens. Our commitment to student success is unparalleled as we promote the highest levels of learning and social, emotional, and physical health and well-being for all children, individuals, and families.
Connect with the CEHD by following us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok or by visiting our main website.