Ryan Pope

Ryan Pope

6th Grade Team

Welcome Wildcats!

I was born and raised in Lakeland and graduated from Lake Gibson High School. After high school, I attended Florida Southern College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education. I am certified in Elementary Education grades K-6th, ESOL, and Gifted Endorsed. I am also pursuing a Master's in Educational Leadership at Southeastern University. If all goes as planned, I will finish my classes in May 2025. I am excited to be a part of the Mckeel Family, and this will be my 16th year teaching. My first eleven years of teaching were spent in elementary education, where I taught various grades, including Kindergarten, Third, and Fifth Grade. However, my most enjoyable and successful years in elementary were teaching 5th-grade math and science. For the last three years, I was a 6th-8th Grade Teacher of the Gifted and Robotics Lab Teacher at Lake Alfred Polytech Academy, where I also coached Volleyball and Soccer. This August, I celebrated my 14th wedding anniversary with my beautiful wife, Amanda Pope, a teacher of the Gifted at Dundee Elementary Academy. 

One of the most important parts of teaching is fostering a positive and effective learning environment that helps students achieve their goals. This includes creating an atmosphere where students feel comfortable, engaged, and motivated to learn. This year, I will challenge students to consider this question: 

"Who or what is influencing your choices?" 

Understanding who and what influences your actions is crucial for personal growth and making informed decisions. The people we surround ourselves with, the media we consume, and the environments we engage with all shape our behaviors, attitudes, and values. Positive influences can inspire us to strive for excellence, practice kindness, and pursue our goals, while negative influences can lead us astray. By being mindful of these influences, we can consciously choose relationships and activities that uplift and motivate us. Encouraging students to evaluate their influences critically helps them develop a strong sense of self, resilience, and the ability to make choices that align with their values and aspirations. I aim to work with students and parents to create an environment where positive influences thrive, empowering our students to reach their full potential.