Former TAMS seventh grade history teacher Dustin Elder has moved to the high school faculty.

Elder is teaching four classes this year: psychology, civics, personal finance, as well as a Tyrone history rotation course in middle school.

While he enjoyed his time at the middle school, Elder said he was ready to make the move to the high school faculty.

“It has always been a professional goal of mine to teach in the senior high at Tyrone, so when the opportunity arose, I jumped,” Elder said.

This is Elder’s seventh year teaching. Following his graduation from Penn State in 2013, he began his teaching career at H.J. MacDonald Middle School in New Bern, North Carolina, followed by a three-year stint at Bellefonte Area High School, before becoming a member of the Tyrone School District faculty.

“I’m happy to be teaching in the high school. It’s amazing to see how much some of the students I had as seventh graders have grown,” Elder said.

Elder graduated from Tyrone Area High School in 2009. While a student at Tyrone he participated in cross country, soccer, swimming, track, Key Club, and student council.

In 2013 received his Penn State degree in secondary education with a social studies focus and a minor in history.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he is also the assistant coach for the boys varsity soccer team.

When asked the biggest difference between teaching middle and high school, Elder said, “It’s the level and depth of content. Expectations also change for the type of work to expect from the students.”

Elder is a well-known and well-liked teacher at TASD and has made an impact on many of his students’ lives.

When the students first found out that Elder was moving from the Middle School this year, most were excited at the prospect of having him for class again.

“One thing that I enjoy most about Mr. Elder is that he made the classes more enjoyable than most teachers did, and I am really glad to have him again this year,” said TASD 10th grade student Dylan Scott.

It’s clear that Elder believes in all of his students, and he never fails to put a smile on their faces.

“[Mr. Elder] is lively while teaching. He is straightforward and will answer any questions you may have,” said junior Gage Delp. “I enjoy how he makes you think about your question first before directly answering it.”