Posted4/28/2021 6:00 AM
When Rob Harmon began his teaching career, he knew he couldn t just sit at the head of the class.
He d needed to be immersed in it.
With a hands-on approach and a dedication to help students develop problem-solving skills, over the last 18 years the technology education teacher has become a leader not only at Thompson Middle School in St. Charles but also nationally as a Master Teacher in the STEM-based Project Lead the Way program.
During the school year Harmon teaches Thompson students to build carbon dioxide-fueled mini-dragsters and design disaster relief structures out of shipping containers. In the summer he mentors other teachers in PLTW programs or gains expertise in the many PLTW courses.