Introducing Trevor Mattea, Stage III Homeroom Teacher

 

 

I’m excited to work closely with Jesie, Sarah, and Blake as a Stage III teacher. In the past, my students have published picture books, helped select their school lunch provider, and registered voters ahead of midterm elections. These are the kinds of project-based learning experiences I hope to continue at Roeper, where students have the opportunity to do work that has an impact outside of the classroom.

I competed with two of my college friends as the “College Radio Heads” on the Game Show Network program Get a Clue back in 2021. We bested the “Barbecue Buddies” before winning the $10,000 grand prize. I was so convinced we had to be the best team that season that I watched and logged stats from all 50 episodes—only to realize we were probably just in the top five.

My wife, Amanda, and I lived in California for more than a decade. Our son, Emerson, was born in the Bay Area in 2019. This summer the three of us made it back for the first time since moving to Michigan four years ago. We took a 19-day road trip, renting a car in San Diego and making stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Point Reyes Station, Chico, Bend, and Eugene. We then took the Amtrak Pacific Cascades Line to Seattle and a charter bus to Vancouver, Canada. Along the way, we visited family, colleagues, and friends—and checked off a few of Emerson’s must-see places: Legoland, Super Nintendo World, Alcatraz, and the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat (by way of a hot tub boat on Lake Union).

I was born in St. Louis and grew up in Collinsville, Illinois, before studying political science at Washington University in St. Louis and earning my master's degree in education at Stanford. Amanda is originally from Alexandria, Virginia. She’s a fellow educator with experience as a kindergarten teacher, school counselor, and elementary school principal. She currently serves as Deputy Executive Director of Early Learning and Montessori for Detroit Public Schools Community District. Emerson joined Roeper this year as a first grader in Stage III. As a family, we enjoy themed birthday parties, group Halloween costumes (last year we went as Dr. Grant, Tim, and Lex from Jurassic Park), watching movies, and seeing live music. We've all been on a Billy Joel kick since watching his five-hour HBO documentary And So It Goes this summer, and we're hopeful to see him in concert someday.

I’m interested in genealogy, and after extensively researching both sides of our family, I was able to return a century-old portrait of a sea captain we found in our attic to his closest living relatives in Canada. I was later interviewed about the process on a genealogy podcast. I also enjoy working on projects around the house and building LEGO creations with Emerson—like a minifig-scale model of our house.

I’m inspired by Ron Berger’s approach to project-based learning, which emphasizes critique. In my classroom, I lead students through exercises where they learn how to give kind, specific, and helpful feedback to one another and apply it through a series of drafts. This practice not only raises the quality of their work but reinforces how everyone benefits when we share our work with others.

I love that Roeper is a place where kids and adults bring their authentic selves. Teachers go by their first names, classrooms feel comfortable, and families are welcomed onto campus to build community. A highlight so far has been attending the Stage III parent meetup with Emerson and meeting families who share some of our passions and experiences, from Pearl Jam to WashU to Big Sur. The diversity, creativity, and warmth of Roeper families make me grateful to be part of this community as both a teacher and a parent.