Tv show
On Oct. 9-12 of this year, thousands of comic book fans from around the country traveled to Manhattan, New York to go to the biggest comic book fairs of the year. Among them was DDE’s very own English teacher Mr. Ronell Whitaker. Sponsored by District 218, Whitaker along with Mr. Eric Kallenborn, Shepard English Teacher took a three day trip to New York City to present a method of teaching that they have become very well-known for locally, “Teaching Comic Books in Class” at New York Comic Convention. “I’ve been using comic books in my teachings for the last four years,” says Whitaker. “And by doing so I have had a lot of success with struggling reading students and students who just don't like to read.” Presenting on the first day of Comic Con to a standing room of over 150 people. Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Kallenborn talked about how to engage female students in comic books with the same success as engaging boys. “Going to New York Comic Con was great,” says Whitaker. “It was probably one of my most positive experiences. I meet a lot of famous people like Run DMC, I also saw George Clooney, the cast of the Walking Dead, Arrow, and the Game of Thrones. It was just a blast.” So far Whitaker and Kallenborn have presented in Los Vegas, Boston, C2 E2, and Denver. On their website www.thecomicbookteacher.com, English teachers can find all kinds of information on how to use comic books in the classroom, and what comics are the best to use in teachings. Whitaker and Kallenborn will be presenting this method of teaching next at the District 218 Teacher Fair on Nov. 4 and looks forward to traveling to Seattle to present sometime in 2015.