Jerry Kalapus

Word of the Day: sesquipedalian.

Webster defines ‘sesquipedalian’ as someone characterized by the use of long words.

It’s a fitting description – and calling card – for Oregon’s 2012 Substitute Teacher of the Year, who has been dispensing big words and knowledge for more than 50 years.

‘I interject an esoteric and arcane word because kids are interested in words,’ Jerry Kalapus said. ‘Forty years ago, I used to have a Word of the Day. It’s sort of followed me all these years. The kids always ask at the beginning of the class, and I always have a word for them.’

Kalapus spent 33 years teaching English and English literature at Reynolds High School. He retired for all of six months, in June1994, but returned as a substitute in January 1995.

‘I discovered teaching was an integral part of my life,’ he said. ‘I missed it. I’ve always been active and being around kids helps me keep a young perspective.’

Kalapus is known for his innovative teaching methods, slipping in his Word of the Day or finding obscure facts pertaining to the lesson plan. He has adapted to the times and challenges in schools today, but isn’t fazed by classrooms that are larger and more diverse than earlier in his career.

‘You have to consider the class as individuals, not as a herd,’ he said. ‘I think one of my strong points is that I try to integrate myself into the class instead of standing in front of the class. But how kids are learning has changed. They have a lot of things coming at them now – cell phones, video games – those change how they learn, think and reason. They’re getting away from the books. We have to educate a lot of different people in a lot of different ways now. It’s hard.’

Kalapus is humbled and complimented by being singled out as the best of the best among substitute teachers statewide. However, there is no ‘I’ in ‘team,’ he said, when it comes to teaching.

‘I was really astounded (by the award) to say the least,’ Kalapus said. ‘First thought through my mind was John Donne’s poem, ‘No Man is an Island.’ I am not an island here. Everybody I work with – the teachers, my family, students, clear down to the janitors – I can’t pay enough tribute to all the people in the educational community for this honor.’