Eric Eaton thinks perhaps his greatest opportunity for impacting students as an educator at Polk County Middle School may not be inside a classroom.
Not that Eaton doesn’t see value in the instruction he provides to students in desks in his social studies classes. But he believes there’s just as much to be gained in the experiences he can help provide in the greater Polk County community.
“I believe it is important to get students engaged with their community and world around them other than on a device,” Eaton said. “This may be in the form of field trips, guest speakers and community connections. We are seeing more of this in our high schools as we pivot to more experiential learning. The agriculture department and trades classes at the high school are prime examples of hands-on, experiential learning that I think the middle school level should explore and implement.
“Secondly, I believe getting students outside, literally, is vital for their health and academics. There is a growing body of research that strongly indicates that getting children and adults outdoors to learn and explore has far reaching physical and mental health benefits. This may be just taking students outdoors for class, or having lessons related to some aspect such as planting a garden or building nature trails.
“We have a golden opportunity and potential in Polk County to capitalize on our outdoor spaces and become model schools for outdoor learning. I feel my role right now is to learn and engage professionals in this field and bring ideas to our teachers and administration of how they can implement outdoor learning in big and small ways for the benefit of our students.”
Eaton’s willingness to explore new avenues for instruction, even as he begins his fourth decade as an educator, is just one reason why he has been named the Polk County Schools District Teacher of the Year for 2024-25. It is the second time that Eaton has been honored with the district award, joining Janice Brumley as the only Polk County educators to be so honored twice.
No better proof of Eaton’s interest in outdoor education can be found than on the grounds just outside the eighth grade building at PCMS, where Eaton and students have constructed what he calls a “Garden of Three Cultures,” integrating history, agriculture, science and outdoor engagement. Other projects involving community organizations such as Conserving Carolina and RootEd help illustrate the approach that Eaton brings these days to his work.
“In preparing students for the workforce and the challenges of the 21st century, it is important to begin connecting students with their local community and larger state,” Eaton said. “We need to rethink the methods of how we teach. I see a shift to more project-based learning, experiential learning, and the need for students to develop creative thinking and problem solving for their future careers and health of their communities.
“As we develop connections between our schools and groups such as RootEd, Conserving Carolina and the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, we are giving our students the access, tools and agency for their future. North Carolina’s economy is vibrant and diverse. We need an educated workforce to meet those future challenges. Connecting students to community agencies, professionals and businesses is becoming necessary, not just in high school, but at the middle school level.”
The garden isn’t the only public project that Eaton hopes to see come to fruition.
“To further integrate outdoor learning into my curriculum, I have been working with RootEd and Constructive Learning Designs of Raleigh as part of their cohort of Western North Carolina teachers to create community-based projects that connect students and classes to community resources,” Eaton said. “A goal with this program is to have students research, plan, develop and build a public history display about Polk County’s rich history. Our focus with the RootEd project this year will be to research the textile and other small industries of Polk County with the hopes of students researching Polk County’s textile and small business heritage of the late 1800s and early 1900s and creating podcasts and a public display.”
Eaton came to the area in 1994, joining the faculty at Polk Central Middle School following his graduation from Appalachian State, which he attended as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. He moved to Polk County Middle School when the campus opened in 2005 and has remained there since, driven by a commitment to education instilled in him at a young age.
“I think teaching is a calling, a mission, if you will,” he said. “I come from a family of educators and medical professionals, people who made it their life’s career to help others. That was instilled early on by my parents and larger family. I still have that motivation to help others, especially young people, fulfill their greatest potential.
“I consider myself a lifelong learner, always looking to explore and do new things. I would have to say that the motivation to teach is in my genes. My mom has a paper that I wrote in kindergarten or first grade that says, `When I grow up I want to be a teacher.’ After toying with the ideas of a pharmacist and even an astronaut, I think deep down it was always to teach.”
That passion, along with the “a-ha” moments he sees in his students, helps keep Eaton motivated.
“To know that you are positively influencing a student is the best part of the job,” he said. “I do not expect students to all become history teachers or even love history. I want them to have respect and understanding of history and the people who made it, not just the famous, but the everyday people who struggled to make better lives for their families and themselves.
“The rewards in teaching are most often not seen immediately, but years down the road when you get a visit or note from a former student. I am especially proud to see my former students in the military come back for a visit or come back to teach in Polk County. Those are the ‘golden moments’ as a teacher.”
