GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — This week, we’re recognizing another longtime West Michigan educator. This one has spent nearly four decades with the same school and has helped to make sure that school is around long after him.
Bob Koning of Grand Haven Christian School told 13 ON YOUR SIDE, “I really didn’t expect anything like that.”
After students stood in a crowd at the front of the class to surprise Koning with the news, he said, “I’m blown away. It’s just so cool. The kids did something. Like, they did a big parade for some teachers and they did that at my house when the pandemic started and that was the same kind of feeling.”
He wasn’t the only one excited.
“I was like, Emma, we did it,” said one of his students, Korynne.
She and one of her classmates, Emma, say they’re the ones who nominated Koning.
“I was actually on my way to dance and my grandma was like, ‘you’ve been telling me so much about your amazing teacher. The news station does Teacher of the Week.’ So, I went to Emma, I’m like ‘Hey, we need to try this or send something in because he deserves this,'” said Korynne.
“There’s like a corner outside that we sat in and she had a binder with makers and we were trying to hide it from Mr. K so he didn’t see it, and we were just both really excited that it worked,” said Emma.
Koning shared how he became a teacher, saying, “I got into teaching when I was floating down a river at Camp Roger teaching kids about canoeing and I was a college student at the time and I had changed majors like five different times. Couldn’t decide what I wanted to do and I just thought if I could find a job working with kids like this every day, I’d be a happy man.”
He’s been teaching at Grand Haven Christian for the last 38 years, spending his entire career in the same building. Well, sort of.
“It’s changed a lot. We’ve gone through three major renovations since I’ve been here and I helped build all those,” said Koning.
Along the way, this teacher also got his builders license.
“I’m a builder in the summers, too, and so I actually got to get my hands on this,” said Koning who added that he’s since gotten “into doing a lot of decks and I do kitchens and basements and hardwood floors and tilework and all that. It’s really fun to be able to do that for our school because this summer we’re going to be building again.”
GHC principal Tim Annema said, “Mr. K is just a man with many gifts and talents. Helping with so many others in the early '90s who helped put together and create this beautiful building that is serving hundreds of students each year and making an impact in this community and the world around them.”
“Something about fifth grade, especially. Fifth graders just wear their hearts on their sleeves and there’s no pretense. They’re just genuine, authentic, cool little humans,” said Koning.
Korynne described her teacher as, “probably the best teacher we’ve ever had and I know a bunch of people that had him who said he’s the best teacher ever and he’s definitely a pick me up.”
The surprise was revealed on a day the class is enjoying what’s call Coco Days of Grace.
“Hot chocolate, he’s hilarious. We read books and he just makes funny sounds,” said Korynne.
“He tells a bunch of dad jokes,” added Emma.
“I think, segments like this and doing this is just a way to encourage teachers and encourage people who have a heart for kids to go into teaching. I’ve done this, like I said, 38 years and I can’t think of a better way to spend your life,” said Koning.
If you have someone you’d like to nominate for our next Teacher of the Week, just text the word “teacher” to 616-559-1310.
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