Skip to main content

What makes a great teacher?

It is definitely hiring season on the Hilltop, and the amount of candidates I have been interviewing in the past few weeks has been a bit overwhelming. This is a year when we have a few retirements and a few departures, so it is a chance to bring amazing new talent to the school. Assistant Head of School Ryan Feeley has done such an amazing job that I feel like we are in a better position than we ever have been to make great decisions in the weeks ahead. It has been particularly noteworthy to see how many candidates are resonating deeply with Berwick initiatives like Curriculum 2020, the Berwick Innovation Center, Wellness, and our cherished core value of balance in all that we do.

Hiring, however, also makes me appreciate what an amazing faculty we already have. I find myself asking questions of new hires about collegiality, love of children, innovation, self-awareness, and personal growth. To be a great teacher at Berwick, one needs a unique blend of loving the complexity of children, having passion for an academic area, and enjoying hard work. Time and again I am amazed not only by the quality of learning happening at our school, but the work of our faculty outside the classroom. Parents and students often forget that every long trip for a student down to Portsmouth Abbey or a field trip for a debate competition over a weekend represents time for our faculty away from their own families – never mind the nightly preparation and grading for class the next day. It does not take much to see that their jobs go so far beyond a typical forty-hour workweek. They are not paid nearly enough for their exceptional work, in my opinion. Part of this is the relative societal value placed on teachers in comparison to other professions, but part of this is based on the limits of an independent school model that is so expensive to produce in the first place.


So we know that money is not the prime motivator for our teachers; this work is a calling of sorts. When I think of the collective effort and energy that our teachers share in coming to know Berwick students, I truly feel inspired to do more. I feel moved to create an environment and culture where teachers can do their best work. I feel deeply motivated to find them new, innovative, collaborative partners in our hiring process. I have a suspicion the results will be particularly exciting this year. Wish us luck.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

E.T.

I don’t think everyone is aware that for this period between Thanksgiving and Winter break, grade levels within the Middle School temporarily re-organize themselves to offer interdisciplinary learning experiences to break up the regular routine of class. This year, I was asked to participate in the “Machine Pilot” aspect of the seventh grade effort to explore the concept of extra-terrestrial life (E.T.). Seventh graders are asked to consider who, out of anyone on the planet, they would choose to send into outer space to interact with alien life forms and why. Our students are told they can literally choose any person on the planet, and the focus need not necessarily be someone with experience in space travel. In fact, they are asked to envision a pre-programmed ship with one seat, leaving them to consider not just technical skills but who would we want to represent human kind in this first interaction. They research, create resumes, write persuasive cover letters and are ultimately as
Post a Comment
Read more

The Campus as Mission

Yesterday, I was fortunate to spend an entire day with our board in retreat to discuss the future of Berwick Academy. The day included strategic conversations about the future of financial aid, innovation, and our amazing campus. In considering the strengths of the Berwick campus, almost everyone spoke to the remarkable quality of our main quad, the blend of old and new buildings, and the incredible open space we have to support our programs. There is an aura of learning and support on this campus that is clearly bolstered by the physical space and buildings. This sense will only be strengthened by the addition of the new Wellness Center next year. Looking ahead, there are still improvements to be made. Certainly parking is a concern, and we continue to dream about new facilities that might make the Berwick experience even more special for our students. One of the key insights that emerged from these conversations was the way in which the physical campus needs to reflect the
Post a Comment
Read more

Sugar Shack

Late April always brings the excitement of the BPC benefit, and I want to encourage the community to attend on April 28 at the Sheraton in Portsmouth. Certainly it is a fun way to gather and celebrate what makes BA so special, but it is also true that the funds raised through BPC help move our school forward in such compelling ways. Just this week I was reminded of this reality after I was invited to offer feedback to Krysta Ibsen’s eighth grade science project. As many of you know, Krysta has become famous for her Sugar Shack projects, which teach our kids aspects of science and entrepreneurship through the practice of making maple syrup. Clearly this is an example of student directed learning, where kids get to pursue individual interests within the broader educational construct. What I have always loved about the event is that it changes every year, and this year Krysta charged the kids to propose a real model for a permanent Sugar Shack we might build on campus someday. Kids
Post a Comment
Read more