Tom Harmon hasn’t always been a teacher. Though he is now in the classroom with middle schoolers at The Franciscan School, Mr. Harmon’s career actually began at Ford Motor Company where he worked for nine years. Following that time, he joined Triangle Family Services as the Director of Consumer Credit Counseling Service. But there was a little nudge inside Mr. Harmon steering him to something different, something more inspiring.

Education continued to surface for Mr. Harmon as an area of interest. He decided to enroll at North Carolina State University and soon earned a master’s degree in Education, specializing in Special Education. For the next eight years, Mr. Harmon taught at Green Hope High School in Cary, later becoming the Special Populations Coordinator. He also became certified in math to add some versatility to his teaching.

While teaching with Wake County Public Schools, a friend mentioned a teacher opening at TFS, which he spent time praying about. “I have tried to follow God’s will, and I believe He led me to this wonderful community and joyful opportunity,” shares Mr. Harmon.

Mr. Harmon will be entering his seventh year teaching at TFS this fall. While he has been teaching math for 6th and 7th graders, he is excited about teaching religion for 7th and 8th graders this next school year. “My viewpoint is that the opportunity to teach religion is a significant responsibility,” shares Mr. Harmon. His philosophy in the classroom has been traditional, demonstrating concepts while students take notes and ask questions. Then with various levels of scaffolding, both he and peer students assist with support. Sometimes he likes to reinforce concepts with various individual or group projects.

Mr. Harmon shares that in his 14 years of teaching, the biggest change in education has been technology. “We need to embrace it but control it for the betterment of our students,” says Mr. Harmon. 

Mr. Harmon has found his calling, his passion. “Teaching gives me great joy,” says Mr. Harmon.  “Looking over a classroom of eager, happy students reminds me that teaching is the best job ever!”