Meet 3-Year-Old Preschool Teacher Bryce Ludwig
Sioux Falls Lutheran School is pleased to welcome Mr. Bryce Ludwig to the Sioux Falls Lutheran School family! He will join our preschool team as one of three 3-year-old preschool teachers during the 2023-24 school year.
Mr. Ludwig attended Zion Lutheran School in Alexandria, Minnesota, from kindergarten through 8th grade. He graduated from South Dakota State University in the spring of 2023 with a degree in early childhood education.
Bryce cherishes the impact his education had on his life, and he desires to give back by giving our students some of the same opportunities he enjoyed as a child. In addition to teaching experiences, Bryce was also involved in SDSU’s track and field program. He also served as summer strength coach back in Alexandria, where his brother is currently a teacher and coach at Zion Lutheran.
Check out the Q&A below to learn more about Mr. Ludwig and his passion for education.
Tell me a bit about yourself and your family.
I am from Alexandria, Minnesota. I am the youngest of three children. I have a brother who is four years older than me and a sister who is six years older than me. We all grew up attending Zion Lutheran School in Alexandria, and that is where my relationship with Christ was able to grow and thrive for years.
Growing up, I was always looking to be outside playing any sport I could. There wasn't much I loved more than tossing baseballs up to hit over and over, or shooting hoops in the driveway until it was too dark to do so anymore. As I've grown, my love for sports has grown as well. I continue to play sports in adulthood, often playing volleyball and tennis in the summers with my family and friends.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
The reason I wanted to be a teacher goes back to my fifth and sixth grade teacher at Zion. He brought an energy into the classroom that made everyday fun and exciting. We never knew what we were going to be doing or if he would have a random outfit on to make us all laugh. He really made me love school and realize what I was capable of. Because of him and the difference he made in my life, I knew soon after that I wanted to make a difference in people's lives and help them in any way I can.
Tell me a bit about your teaching style.
I like to bring a lot of energy and laughter into the classroom. I will try to learn early what sorts of things make my students laugh because, as the old saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. If I can make my students laugh, there aren't many situations I believe that I won't be able to get through together. I also like to let learners make discoveries. I want to put the pieces in place to help them find something new.
What do you enjoy most about working with young learners?
I think their energy and spirit are really contagious. If their energy is directed the right way, then there are so many amazing things that can happen. I believe that children are capable of much more than they get credit for, and I want to push my learners toward new things and discoveries about the amazing creation around them.
How do you envision integrating faith into your classroom daily?
In my classroom, I want to show Jesus walking with us every day. We are going to do a mixture of bible stories, activities, and experiments that show the amazing things in God's great creation. God will be a member of our classroom and influence how we treat each other as classmates and people.
Favorite Bible verse:
I have a really hard time picking this, so I will just have to say both of them.
The verse that speaks to my faith and really sums up what it means to me is Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
The other verse I love, because of the call I feel to teach when I hear it, is Proverbs 22:6: "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it."
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.