As a physics teacher, Jordan Orlewicz uses a teaching style which is foreign to most classrooms- empowering students to be able to take control of their own learning.
“The classroom is theirs…I have no ownership at all,” Orlewicz said. “That opens the door where students have to accept that it’s theirs and understand that their education and what I want to bring to them is dependent on their acceptance of me and the material”.
Orlewicz will often leave certain choices up to the students.
“I’m not an agenda type of guy, I’m more of ‘what does each class individually create as a classroom?’ Then from that, the curriculum kind of flows and allows mastery to be obtained,” the teacher said.
Orlewicz also provides opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom in order to better understand the material.
“One of my AP students came up to me with the idea of creating a club where students can get tutoring on the physics material, and I thought that was an amazing idea. So we created a team of tutors, which I call ‘mini J’s’ where we all help other students,” Orlewicz said.
The club, known as Alitora Vultus, is the first of its kind at Oviedo and has been flourishing according to Orlewicz.
“To be honest with you, it’s been a huge success. When you hear about a club that’s academically driven, it doesn’t tend to be the most popular, but it’s been great,” Orlewicz said.
On top of this, Orlewicz has created an opportunity for students to practice building their future through another club called Investment Club.
“I think it’s one of the most important clubs,” Orlewicz said. “Students need to know what investment even is. I mean, sure you hear about it, but you never get to partake in it. Being able to have that ability is critical”.
Orlewicz has even started multiple engineering projects with a few students.
“In the past we’ve done coil guns that use electrical current to fire little projectiles, and we’ve done rockets, people love rockets. In previous schools we’ve done hovercraft,” said Orlewicz. “I’m basically open to any idea a student has who wants to build or learn about something”.
Orlewicz has worked with a NASA representative from base operations, who will come to speak to students after school on Nov. 15.
“He [the NASA representative] is creating a team of NASA engineers to come and present to us and I’m using [Alitora Vultus] as a platform to do so,” Orlewicz said.
As it is still the first semester, there is no telling what Jordan Orlewicz will do next to provide more opportunities for his students throughout the year.
