MR. RODNEY SLAPPY

Senior School History and Social Sciences

Mr. Slappy started teaching at Sewickley Academy in August 2020. He grew up in Beaver Falls, PA, and has three children who are all currently enrolled at SA: Rodney (Grade 5), Elijah (Grade 2), and Sarai (Pre-Kindergarten). This year, during Spring Break, he accompanied a group of students on a Civil Rights trip visiting several historically significant locations throughout Alabama and Georgia.

What is it about Sewickley Academy that keeps you coming back?

My students not only make this job more enjoyable, but they also motivate me to do the best job that I can as their teacher.

Why did you choose to be a teacher?

As an undergraduate student in college, I had the opportunity to work as a classroom tutor at an elementary school in Washington, D.C. Working with the students there was an extremely rewarding experience, and I enjoyed having the chance to have a positive influence on the lives of young people. That experience, along with my enthusiasm for history, is what inspired me to become a social studies teacher.

What is your favorite lesson to teach?

My favorite lesson so far has

My students not only make this job more enjoyable, but they also motivate me to do the best job that I can as their teacher.” been the Genghis Khan Mock Trial that we do in my Modern World History class. We put Genghis on trial for war crimes. I like it because not only is it focused on one of the most controversial people in history, but it is also a lot of fun watching the students act out their character roles. Every student participates, and most of the time it gets pretty competitive. There have even been some students who dressed up as their character. Usually our students find him guilty!

What is your favorite movie or TV show?

I have a lot of favorite movies and TV shows, but the one that made me want to learn more about history was Braveheart.