An Interview with Mr. Crowder

A couple of months ago, I sat down with Mr. Justin Crowder when he was midway through his second semester at the Indiana Academy. I wanted to give both myself and the students of the Academy a better look into who he is as a person and an educator. Below you will find my (mostly unedited) questio

ns, marked with a Q, and his responses, marked with an A; please enjoy! Thank you to both Mr. Crowder and anyone who reads this, it was a delight to sit down with him. 

Q: What is one of your favorite childhood memories? 

A: So I went to Yorktown schools from third grade onward, and there’s this just massive hill behind the middle school; it’s perfect for sledding, the whole community uses it. I went there about every year, so most of my fondest memories are there, surrounded by my family and my community. I still make sure to take my daughter every year. 

Q: What is your favorite book? 

A: I absolutely love the aptly-named science fiction series The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis, as well as the Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman. I love Lewis’ prose and the way that he details the internal thoughts of the characters as they grapple to fit entirely alien concepts into their human understandings. It’s a really really cool way of evaluating the human psyche, as well as just a really cool creation of entirely non-human entities, things that in no way resemble our understanding of what life is. 

Q: What inspired you to teach biology? 

A: Well, nothing in life is a linear track. I began my undergrad as an English major; I wanted to be an author, which is something I still carry with me a bit– I love creative writing. Once we started getting into all of the technical rules and grammar, I very quickly lost interest, so I switched to science. It was actually my mom that recommended it, she was always saying that I was best suited for science. I liked the sound of that, and I’m a huge nature lover, so I took a gap year and came back with a major in forestry. I heavily romanticized the idea of just disappearing into the woods forever, but my girlfriend at the time didn’t quite do the same. She talked me out of it, so I switched to zoology, which is what I stuck with. I graduated with a bachelors in biology with a zoology focus, all ready to work in zoos, but those jobs are way too competitive, so I went back to school to get a degree in science education, which I have completely fallen in love with. 

Q: How have you been acclimating to the Academy? 

A: Even for someone who has a very non-existent perception of “normal,” I’m still getting used to this place a bit. The most difficult thing for me has been adapting my teaching style to the needs of the students here, especially getting everyone motivated about my classes, even if they aren't STEM people. I really want to make sure that everyone can enjoy my classes, regardless of their interests, but it’s proving to be a bit difficult. I’m doing the best I can to make it happen, and I really appreciate how honest the student body is with me about it all. 

Q: What are some things about the Academy that you like, and what are some things that you struggled/are struggling to get used to? 

A: I really love how much freedom the educators are provided, especially in regards to how much control I have over my curriculum. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword though; it often leads to me having too many ideas all at once, which is overwhelming at times. I’m struggling a bit to adapt to the various learning needs of the students, but that happens wherever you go. I didn’t quite anticipate it being a thing I’d have to worry about, with the “gifted” label and all, but it’s something that I am very actively working on. 

Q: If you could teach any course, no restrictions, what would it be? 

A: My passion is biotechnology, but I’ve recently been throwing around the idea of teaching about the historical founders of biology, how the public responded to them, how they existed within the context of their time, and how we can analyze their circumstances and apply them to today. It would definitely be either one of those. 

Q: What is your favorite movie? 

A: V for Vendetta is up there, it’s an absolutely amazing film, and the original Anchorman. Anchorman is fun because it’s just like mindless humor, V for Vendetta is a really emotional movie, I like it because it just feels like a release. 

Q: If you could give any one piece of advice to Academy students, what would it be? 

A: I would want them to make sure that you all don’t focus so much on your ambitions and goals that it stops you from appreciating what’s going on around you now. Don’t overwhelm yourself with thinking about the future; take time to make time for what’s important now. Branch out, try new things, don’t be afraid to get help from people. 

Q: What is your current level of education? Do you plan to study any higher? 

A: I currently have a masters in biology and a certificate in biotech, as well as my bachelors and a teaching license. I wrote my master’s thesis on protein quality control in baker’s yeast, which was a lot more interesting than it might sound. 

Q: Do you feel like your teaching style has changed since you have been at the Academy? 

A: My goal when I started was to provide a challenging, university-level curriculum, one that would prepare students for AP tests, focusing on application over memorization. For my electives, I try to keep it interesting and challenging, but I have trimmed some of the extras from them so that they’re approachable for all students. I learned a lot last semester, so I have made my classes much more flexible and approachable this semester.

Q: What hobbies do you have outside of teaching? 

A: Well, I have very little free time, but I love hiking and being outdoors. I went to Zion National Park over spring break with my wife, which was an absolute blast. I play a couple of video games, namely Fallout, Jedi: Survivor, Black Myth Wukong, and I love Skyrim and Horizon. Really, I’ll enjoy anything with a lot of player agency. I also spend a lot of time with my daughter, she eats up a lot of my time. 

Q: What is your favorite color? 

A: Black and forest green. 

Q: What is your dream home aesthetic? 

A: My in-laws have a cabin in the woods, it perfectly blends contemporary with rustic. It’s got wood walls, modern plumbing, all of that fun stuff. I’d love a wraparound porch on a house that’s close to the woods but not terribly far from civilization. 

Q: Even though you are working a job that you hopefully enjoy, what is your dream career in life? Is this the same dream career as the one that you had in highschool? 

A: My goal is definitely very different from when I was in highschool, with the hard switch from English to science. I spent almost a decade in scientific research, which made me fall in love with looking through a microscope. I would love the thrill of contributing to the scientific world in some major way, like having something named after me, but that really isn’t super realistic. My dream scenario is a balance between research and teaching, but I definitely don’t plan on getting a PhD. I’m currently working in a consultant-type role with Ball State, which is a lot of fun.