CUSD 50 Staff Spotlight: Dan Cain, Math Teacher at Harvard High School
"I grew up in Rockford Illinois and attended High School at Rockford Lutheran High School. For College I attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where I got my Bachelors in Science and Education."
"There are so many people and things that inspired me to become a teacher. Whether it be my Physics teacher Mr. Fisk who would meet me at 5 A.M. to get help with my physics before my morning football lift. To Mr. Kube who encouraged me to stay the path to better where I am rather than looking to go elsewhere. To my college Professors Dr. Stephanie Bernander and Amy Parrot no matter what I did encouraged me to graduate because they could see the educator I could be even when I couldn’t."
"There is so much to love about being an educator that it would be hard for me to just choose one thing. I love having the opportunity to meet the freshman when they come into the high school and getting to see how they grow academically and maturity by the time they graduate. I love getting to build relationships with them both within the classroom and outside of it in athletics. I love to help kids achieve things that they sometimes only could dream of or even achieve things they thought they could never do."
"I really love how close-knit the district is and how dedicated everyone is to seeing each student succeed. For example, if a student is struggling in my class, another teacher who has built a strong relationship with that student might step in to support them, and then communicate that they are working with that student to me. That collaboration makes a huge difference in seeing our students succeed."
"I think it’s unrealistic to be positive 100% of the time, whether at work or in life, but I try to approach challenges with optimism. I remind myself how fortunate I am to make a difference in the lives of my students and athletes, and I’m grateful for the support I have from my girlfriend, Alexis, and my daughter, Charlotte. That perspective helps me reset and stay positive, because you never know when even a little positivity can change someone’s life."