He followed unusual route to IMS

Iola Middle School life science teacher Karl Sherman is new to Iola and a fresh face to the USD 257 staff with a different career background.
Sherman, a native of Peculiar, Mo., served in the United States Marine Corps four years before working as a car salesman. He also worked as a UPS manager.
Sherman earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, middle school education and American history.
Prior to joining IMS, he spent one year as a paraprofessional in Nevada, Mo., and another as a special education teacher in Butler, Mo. After 150 applications, seven interviews and three offers, Sherman said he was happy to be working in science instead of special education.
“I like science more than special ed because with special ed, I’ve been told I’ve been wasting my abilities,” Sherman said. “I really try to engage kids and I really try to get them to be engaged in a variety of ways. With special education, it’s very hard to do that. It’s very predominant on what the kids have.”
Sherman is already familiar with being a leader through his experience as a Marine drill sergeant, product training as a car salesman and supervising young employees at UPS.
While Sherman has a fascination with history, he said it was tough to find a position because many history teachers also coach sports. He found other strengths in order to become a science teacher. 
“When it comes to debate or forensics, I can coach,” he said. “Science was the other foot in the door for that, and it presented me with this opportunity.”
Sherman praised the atmosphere at IMS, which staffers welcoming and supporting him and the other new teachers.
On the side, Sherman is a fan of Star Wars and other “geeky” hobbies including comics.
He adds another dimension to his classroom, besides his normal lectures, by having his students look up current events related to science.
Sherman hopes to organize a science fair as a way of getting the students involved as part of a school community.
He enjoys unorthodox teaching methods by utilizing Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“I’m told I’m the most fun teacher so far,” Sherman said. “I’m more non-traditional than anything, using all types of social media so I can get information to my kids and they can get it to me. I don’t have the typical ‘we’re going to do the workbook.’ I’m trying to bring discussion on what they know and link it to what they’re doing.”