TOWAMENCIN – At home, Brian Haley characterizes himself as an important part in his kids’ lives.
“I am the driver, the cook, and the ATM for my 12 and 14 year old children.”
However, fulfilling the needs of his kids expands beyond his home in Quakertown. His engaging teaching style ensures that his kids within the D12 classroom at NPHS are taught not only what to learn, but how to learn. As one of his students, I can confidently vouch for his ability to command a classroom and provide the tools necessary to transform political neophytes into proficient learners with a tight grasp of governmental policies and institutions, foreign and domestic.
Growing up in Ardsley, a community within Abington Township, Brian Haley attended school locally. “I went to Catholic school at Bishop McDevitt through 12th grade. After High School I could have gone anywhere, but decided to go to Temple,” explained Haley.
When asked about his high school academics, Haley said that he maintained good grades, but there was one subject in particular that did not add up well with him.
“Math was not my strong suit growing up. Jimmy Buffet has a song called Math Sucks. I’ll leave it at that.”
Haley recieved his liberal arts undergraduate degree from Temple University in 1982 and then moved on to receive his Juris Doctorate Degree from Villanova University in 1985. After ten years as a lawyer, Haley realized that the profession was a bit too encompassing to be enjoyable.
“After graduating from law school, I worked as a lawyer from 85’ to 95’. I enjoyed the practice of law, but not necessarily the business of law. I was working twenty hours a day and seven days a week, so I didn’t have a lot of free time. That schedule really gets old. After a while you sit there and think “Man, I’m going to die at my desk.””
He began his teaching endeavor by taking his Pennsylvania Educator Certification Test, and he passed on his first try.
“I’ve always been able to take multiple choice tests. It’s kind of weird, but soon after taking the test I started taking all the required classes. Working 20 hours a day as a lawyer doesn’t allow for much social time, so I had some catching up to do. I got married in 1998, which is the same year I began teaching government and politics here at North Penn.”
Beyond his academics and his profession, Haley has plenty of other interests as well, some related to his fields of endeavor, and some not .
“I like all kinds of music, but Jimmy Buffet is probably my favorite. Other than family and teaching, my passion is politics. I love figuring out what is happening and why it’s happening.”
So, if he’s not in “parrot-head” mode, there is little doubt that Haley is surrounding himself with either his family or endeavors related to teaching and politics – all things for which he shares great passion.
For students aspiring toward a career in political science, talking to Brian Haley would be a great way to start.