English Teacher
Glen Urquhart School
Beverly, Massachusetts
PHOTO BY Susannah Bothe
Alma’s red shoes rested next to Studio A as she waited patiently for her acting class. We emerged from the dressing rooms, transformed into our Commedia dell’Arte characters. I stood on a platform and began my monologue. Alma pressed her palms together, quietly celebrating her shy student who had come so far. Years later, I cherish this memory. Alma inspired me to become a teacher. My independent school journey wasn't direct, but I found my way “home.”
My first experience at an independent school was as a seventh grader at Glen Urquhart School (MA). The small class sizes and culture of kindness were the antidote to loud bus rides and pressures to conform. I developed close friendships and had fun learning.
My first teaching job was at a large public middle school, where the spark within me started to dim. I found my way to a charter school where students generated some of the highest test scores but were scared into submission. Then, in spring 2022, the head of Glen Urquhart School called me about an opening for an English teacher. I was able to finally unclench my jaw, breathe in the fresh air, and participate in the celebration of learning and life. I jumped at the chance to return to GUS.
Some of my favorite teachers became my colleagues. We help students not only dream but transform their imagination into reality. We teach foundational skills and core understandings while igniting curiosity. I participate in something larger than myself.
I often think back to Studio A. I wish I could tell Alma what a tremendous impact she made on me.
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