GSU Alumnus Wields Superpower in the Classroom

Governors State University (GSU) Alumnus Eric Kallenborn’s innovative teaching methods at Alan B. Shepard High School are his superpower.

A loyal follower of Marvel Comics Publisher Stan Lee, Kallenborn commemorated Lee’s recent death by having students explore Lee’s heroic characters and legendary storylines.

While some criticize Kallenborn for enlisting comic books instead of classical literature in a high school English class, the 2014 GSU graduate says Lee’s universal themes help drive home lessons of human frailty, he recently told the Daily Southtown. 

“When ‘The Fantastic Four’ came out people asked if the language was too mature, too difficult for children,” Kallenborn says in Shepard teacher commemorates creative genius of Stan Lee in his English classes.

 “Stan Lee said, ‘I’m not trying to write baby books. I’m trying to teach kids something and if their vocabulary gets better from comic books, more power to them.’ ”

Kallenborn, a frequent presenter at Comic-Cons and across Chicagoland, has also served as a mentor to two GSU Jaguars, Adan Alvarado and Damian Herrera.  Alvarado, who student taught in Kallenborn's class, now works at Bloom High School. In the spring, Kallenborn will be the Cooperating Teacher for Herrera.

Read the entire Daily Southtown story about Kallenborn's graphic novels course  here.

(Photo courtesy of Daily Southtown)