Outside of teaching, Seith enjoys spending time with his wife and one-year-old son, Coltin. He is a big Bengals fan and enjoys yard work. His educational journey began at Highlands, followed by the University of Cincinnati, where he began to study architecture, but COVID-19 threw that a bit off track, leading to his decision to pursue a future in education.
“I didn’t always know I wanted to be a teacher…I had gotten accepted into the program for architecture at UC…COVID kind of threw everything off the rails, so I went back to education,” Seith said.
When asked about his biggest influence, Seith points to Jean Becker and Lori Duncan. He credits Becker, a biology teacher, with turning his academic life around. Initially struggling with immaturity and late assignments, he says Becker’s support helped him grow. He also acknowledges Duncan, a longtime teacher and mentor who guided him from middle school through high school and continues to support him today.
Becker in particular had a surprising and lasting impact on his personal life, too. Seith and his wife had her in school, which is how the two were brought together. That connection turned into a relationship that would shape both of their lives in the long run.
“I was her lab aide my senior year, and that’s where I met my wife. She dropped down to just taking regular anatomy, but she was allowed to stay in the same class…I already didn’t have that much work, and she didn’t either at this point, so it went from there,” he said.
When reflecting on paths not taken, Seith admits that if he hadn’t gone into education, he might have continued with his first job at Lowe’s, but says he’s grateful for where life led him.
In the classroom, Seith strives to make world history and government feel relevant and alive. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, he uses a mix of discussion, multimedia, simulations, and project-based learning to keep students engaged. Current events also play a big role in how he teaches. By connecting today’s news to past events, he encourages students to draw meaningful parallels.
“During the first full week, we took a look at four different news videos from a couple of different sources, and they connected it to the five purposes of government from the preamble,” he said.
Like all educators, Seith has faced challenges along the way. The biggest one so far has been becoming a first-year teacher at Highlands.
“The kids are held to a high standard, so the teacher has to meet or exceed that. I have three courses that I have to get ready for every day. It’s a lot of work to get ready, I think it’s the biggest challenge, but getting there feels good,” he said.
But there have been high points, too. One of the most memorable moments early in his career involved his project during student teaching.
“I had to film a lesson for graduation, but the week it was scheduled, there was student violence, a death in the community, and a bomb threat. I was alone with my students, trying to teach about Japanese internment and the atomic bomb in the middle of all that…and somehow, through all the chaos, I ended up earning the highest score in my cohort,” he said.
While building relationships is a tougher part of Seith’s approach, he makes an effort to connect with students beyond the classroom, whether through shared interests, school events, or just being available to talk.
“I’m terrible with names, but I try. I carry a photo roster, chat in the halls, sit with kids at awkward desks, and just keep showing up, hoping to learn who they are while they get to know me too…my wife even made a Kahoot about me for my students on the first day,” he said.
This year, Seith has big goals for his students. These include passing AP exams and helping on-level kids to grow throughout the year.
“I’m going to learn new skills. I’m going to learn new practices. I hope they do the same thing and grow throughout the year, too,” he said.
For those considering a career in education, Seith offers simple advice:
“Go for it. Go for it. It’s possible. It’s fun. I mean, like, especially in college, you get to take some of the most obscure classes that count… It’s so worth it,” he noted.
Teaching may not always be easy, but as he’s shown, it can be incredibly rewarding.
