About me

    My name is Benjamin Ford, and I am now  an 8th Grade Science Teacher at SMS.  I am a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Bachelor’s of Science. Majoring in both Marine Science, Biology, and minoring in Biochemistry with a ton of credits in Studio art (specifically sculpture). When I finally realized that my skills, interests, and experiences could be best applied in education I decided to go back to school to obtain my lateral entry license to teach. I attended the lateral entry program and received my certificate at N.C. State University in Raleigh. Go Pack!

        I have been teaching in North Carolina for the past 14 years; starting with two years in Rocky Mount, teaching 7th grade Science and coaching Middle & High School football as well as High school baseball. I then transferred to Broad Creek Middle School near Emerald Isle, NC where I also taught 7th grade Science, and again coached football, wrestling and baseball.   I taught 7th and 8th grade science at Davis Drive Middle School for a year; was the Head baseball coach, and started the boys and girls lacrosse club there.  Then for 2.5 years I taught 7th grade science and was a coach for the Apex Friendship Middle School Football team, helped coaching the Apex Friendship High School wrestling team and was also a Member of the Science Core leadership team for Wake County Public schools K-12. When I finally moved to Brunswick county, I obtained a position at Brunswick County Early College High School where for 4 years I taught Biology Honors, Earth & Environmental Science Honors, Physical Science, and Health & PE. During that time I coached Football at SBMS the first year as well as last year, and have been the wrestling coach ever since. I am not currently signed up to coach here at SMS, but I will be around and possibly helping out when I get settled in!  

         Since I grew up on a barrier island in New Jersey, moving to Oak Island gives me the opportunity to continue on with my hobbies and things I've loved to do as a child. My passions in life are: fishing (inshore, offshore, surf, lake, river), surfing, shrimping, crabbing, gigging, duck hunting, cooking, sports and everything else you can do on the water or outdoors. I grew up doing all this with my family, and enjoy sharing my passions with my students and nephews.  You might see me throwing a plug or lure off the beach in Oak island, fishing off my Kayak in the Davis Canal, or offshore at the point off Oregon inlet in our family boat, the Vibe; make sure to give me a wave if you see me! I also am a huge sports fan (NY Mets, NC State, Rutgers,  as well as a NY Jets and a Carolina Hurricanes season ticket member). I also love tinkering with crafts and furniture so you may see me one day with a stand at the Oak Island flea market on Mondays in the Summer.

     And if you see me MORE bald than normal in March it is because I have shaved my head with St. Baldrick's Children's Cancer Foundation to raise awareness as I raise money for the cause.

Looking forward to a new chapter getting to know the students & community here at Shallotte Middle!

Mr. Ford's Philosophy on Education 

    In the Information Age, students have continuous access to knowledge- even  at their fingertips & in their pockets!  Having easily accessible digital resources transforms the role of a teacher from delivering the content to guiding students to understand, evaluate, and access content. This transformation reshapes the way school and classrooms look. Traditional didactic pedagogy (Lecture & Lab format) is no longer a sustainable educational model for students to be productive and scientifically literate citizens.

To aid in  the process of becoming scientifically literate, students  must practice and develop the necessary skills to find their own answers to problems, thereby obtaining the ability to pursue their own interests and educational experiences. Thus, the role of a modern science educator is helping students by providing instructional and learning opportunities that allow the student to be actively engaged in the learning process.

   In our science classes,  our goal is to make sure that our students are active participants in their own learning. To ensure this happens, we will employ instructional strategies  like project and problem based learning through the lens of inquiry. Students may be unaccustomed to being active participants in their learning and, at first, may struggle. Indeed, these types of learning methods are oftentimes not as satisfying since students “arrive” at answers or, even, tackling a question that has ambiguous or multiple answers. Persevering through these struggles is exactly what equips students with persevering through the struggles of their academic and career pathways.

    It is the job of educators and parents to afford students with the tools, guidance, and direction necessary to overcome these struggles. For instance, if a student wrestles with understanding Newton’s First Law of Motion, a teacher may provide that student with multiple examples of Newton’s First Law (getting difficult ketchup to exit a glass bottle, a skateboarding having an unfortunate incident with a concrete curb, etc.), ask the students to compare their thinking with a partner or small group to see if they can determine the meaning of the law, then apply that knowledge to a novel situation in which students have to solve a problem using Newton’s First Law of Motion. The student may experience all of these steps in the learning process  without the teacher ever actually “stating” Newton’s First Law. (Indeed, a masterful teacher never would.) Yet, students have constructed their own knowledge based on inductive reasoning and collaboration, which is far more research-based and powerful learning experience than providing students with the definition. To support that learning even further, and instead of asking, "how was school today," have your children to explain what they learned today like; Newton’s First Law of Motion to you at home using their words and their examples.