Mr. Ben Harris
History
bharris@bk.org

Mr. Harris is a bright and innovative young teacher at Bishop Kelly that employs a balanced blend of traditional and new teaching methods in the classroom. He brings a contagious passion for history to his students.

Mr. Harris graduated Cum Laude from the College of Idaho with a B.A. in History, Politics and Economics. Later he earned his Master’s degree in History from the University of Utah. Ben was recently awarded the Charles Redd Center for Western History Award for an article published in 2007. In the past he has contributed to his professional community as a National History Day State judge.

Underlying Mr. Harris’ teaching philosophy is the belief that it is more important to teach students how to think than what to think. He believes that students should be engaged with alternative viewpoints that challenge existing assumptions and encourage critical thinking. His goals are to help students think independently and to train them to articulate their ideas clearly. Ben loves to see his students move beyond copying what the textbook or teacher tells them and instead draw their own conclusions from the material. Through the study of history, he seeks to empower students to be better citizens and to provide them with the skills necessary to play a positive and educated role in society.

In addition to teaching, Mr. Harris serves as the advisor to Bishop Kelly’s Student Council, mentoring students in leadership skills as they work to provide interesting and fun activities for BK’s student body. When not at Bishop Kelly, Ben loves spending time with his wife Katy, traveling, reading, golfing, and exploring the outdoors.