Mr. Bertenshaw brings energy and positivity to his classroom each and every day. Just ask his former students.

“He made the subject interesting to learn,” junior Lilly Clay said, one his former students. “I loved his word scrambles before each lesson, as well as the discussions. It helped really get my mind working.”

Clay said she loved the way he tried to get students’ minds working by doing word scrambles before the lesson. Bertenshaw teaches freshmen and sophomores English and makes the subject enjoyable to learn.

Mr. Bertenshaw chose to become an English teacher at Liberty because that’s what he was most prepared to do, and it’s what he wanted to do. His greatest joy of teaching is the opportunity it gives him and being able to share through literature and introduce new ideas to make the students think.

“I was most prepared academically for the subject, and my life experiences also prepared me for that, as well,” he said. “My greatest joy in teaching is the opportunity to share profound and beautiful things through the art of literature, to introduce ideas to students that they might not have thought about. To allow them to think about the great questions that have puzzled human beings forever.”

Now and then, Mr. Bertenshaw likes to play games with his students. He thinks it’s good to have a little break and break the norms.

“Every now and then, it’s good to break up the structure and be a little light-hearted,” Bertenshaw said. “It’s a way to change up the environment of the classroom.”

Bertenshaw has two daughters. His oldest is Christina, is 18, while his youngest Joanna is 15. Bertenshaw has a wife named Valerie. He has a dog named Aldine, named after an old street they lived.

Bertenshaw’s favorite hobby is to travel around the world and see new things.

“I love to take road trips with my kids,” he said.

He went to the University of Colorado and enjoyed the experience there because it had good teachers and was a beautiful place to live. The University of Colorado did a lot for him. It introduced him to other types of lifestyles, different people, different friendships, different challenges, and opportunities; it was just Colorado.

“The University of Colorado, like any university, introduced me to different lifestyles, different friendships, different academic challenges, and different opportunities to pursue various academic curiosities. Plus, I got to play in the mountains all year long!

“I try as hard as I can to stay in touch with my friends though they are scattered all over the country.”

He enjoys traveling with his kids and going to craft fair events. He also enjoys having breakfast with his kids.

“I go to breakfast every Sunday with my youngest daughter.”