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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.

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