Keith Sanders — Educator, Counselor, Musician

When mentioning chemistry teacher Keith Sanders to a GPS alum — or even to Dr. Graves — a common response is an endearing, “Awww.”

That’s because his students know that he cares, said Sander’s colleague and Science Department Head Tracie Durham. “He’s great at chemistry and loves chemistry, but he really cares for the girls, and the girls love him,” Durham added.

Indeed, as Durham noted, the 25-year GPS employee is an accomplished and acclaimed chemistry teacher. He was GPS’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year in 2001, and he earned the Teacher of the Year Award from the American Chemical Society in 1998. He is a faculty sponsor for the Science Olympiad and the Coordinator for National Chemistry Week for the Chattanooga section of the American Chemical Society. In the past, Sanders has served as a Faculty Committee member, Grade-level Team Leader, and on the Reaccreditation Committee.

In a classroom that could potentially have some chemical explosions or severe mishaps, Sanders has made it all 25 years — going on 26 — without any serious lab accidents, a phenomenal accomplishment for any chemistry teacher. “The most important thing in my lab is safety,” Sanders said. “I really harp on it…one of my favorite things to say is if your hair catches on fire, it will ruin your day.”

Recalling his first year of teaching at GPS, Sanders admits he was a little intimidated. “I was nervous that first year, nervous in faculty meetings, listening as others talked about what they were doing in their classrooms. There are some amazing faculty and teachers here…I was afraid they would find me out,” Sanders joked, explaining his initial uncertainty about his own abilities compared to his colleagues.

Sanders said he experienced this same awe for GPS faculty the first time he attended Cum Laude. Listening to the faculty who spoke so eloquently about the students they knew so well, Sanders said, “I could tell that there were some really extraordinary relationships that could be formed in a classroom.” Sanders has now introduced students 12 times at Cum Laude.

Sanders has established himself among the eloquent and inspiring faculty speakers, highly respected by students, and an innovative educator at GPS. He was one of the first teachers at GPS to try the flipped classroom method, in which his students take notes on his recorded lectures posted online and class time is spent discussing topics, working through problems, and performing labs together. Sanders continues to use the flipped classroom method and thinks it has been an effective way to learn, especially for girls who enjoy collaborative activities.

Although he’s been at GPS for over 25 years, many may not know the versatility of Sanders’ academic and professional path. “Enamored” by his first symphony orchestra experience, he finished his undergraduate degree as a music major. Sanders has played the trombone in the Chattanooga Symphony, as well as in a Brass Quartet, all the while earning his master’s degree in counseling. This Renaissance man fulfilled his lifelong dream of being a teacher by completing his MEd, concentrating on education of the sciences.

“I’ve often thought the master’s degree in counseling is much more helpful to me than a master’s degree in chemistry would have been,” Sanders noted. “I know more than enough chemistry to do what I’m doing and be certified, but I think the interactions I have with students and parents and faculty make the counseling degree more relevant as it has really taught me how to listen.”

Sanders doesn’t make his students sing songs about the Periodic Table in order to incorporate his musical background, but he often uses the analogy of practicing an instrument to encourage study habits. “If you want to get good at playing an instrument, you have to be deliberate about practicing it. Studying any discipline is the same way,” Sanders said.

Sanders often encourages his students never to quit. “Intelligence is important, but it’s not as important as perseverance,” he says.