Lifelong Learner

Upper School history teacher Lyn Tillett is often recognized by families and graduates with philanthropic gifts to the school made in her honor. There is no doubt that she is an exceptional educator who makes a lasting impact on her students, as evidenced by these quotes from recent graduates:

Throughout high school, Ms. Tillett pushed me like a coach, believed in me like a teammate, and cared for me like a mother. Her belief in me sparked a belief in myself without which I don’t think I would be who I am or where I am today.”

—Vaed Khurjekar ’18, the University of Pennsylvania

Ms. Tillett was always there to guide me through course material, talk me through high school struggles, and drive me to South Carolina for weekly debate tournaments where she attended every single round. I know that even now she is always a phone call away and her dedication to us as her students, and children, will forever be unwavering.”

—Gracey Owen ’18, Georgetown University

Her talents in teaching history and being able to truly bring it to life in the classroom made me fall in love with the subject. Her talent in advising shines through as well, as she cares deeply about every single student that she meets and would move mountains to help them.”

—Bobby Farnham ’18, Wake Forest University

Ms. Tillett’s contributions to the Upper School are far reaching. She teaches four courses of AP history with her students regularly earning top scores on this rigorous exam. Last year, her AP students earned an average of 4.4 on the 5-point scale. She is also advisor for the Debate Team; helped found a new peer tutoring initiative and the Bridge program, which helps acclimate students new to independent school; and was recently recognized by her peers with the Faculty Exceptional Performance award.

Perhaps Ms. Tillett is such an exceptional educator because she never stopped being a student. We asked Ms. Tillett to share a few lessons she learned during her nonstop summer of 2018.

Lessons Learned While Filling My Cup

By Lyn Tillett, AP World History and AP US History

I am the daughter of two university professors, so teaching and learning are in my blood. Throughout my career, even when I had young children to raise as a single mom, I have found the time in the summer to design new electives, attend conferences, take classes, or travel to new places. Two previous grants have allowed me to travel extensively and conduct archival research on World War II. I can talk to my students about sitting in Winston Churchill’s seat in the Cabinet War Rooms, reading primary sources on the French resistance movement, or admiring Margaret Thatcher’s favorite alligator-skin purse, which helps tohumanize the topics that I teach. Closer to home, whether I’m getting trained to recognize different learning styles, use new technology like global mapping, or develop new strategies to try in my AP classes after grading exams for the College Board, these experiences constantly change the approach I take to benefit my students. This summer was no different, providing me with many important lessons as I begin my 38th year of teaching.

The day after the school year closed in June, I traveled with family to the Netherlands, England, and Ireland.

The day after the school year closed in June, I traveled with family to the Netherlands, England, and Ireland. Seeing firsthand the museums, galleries, and historical sites such as the collection of working windmills in Zaanse Schans in the central Netherlands was like chocolate for my soul. If you enjoy history as I do, there is no way you would go to Amsterdam without seeing Anne Frank’s house, or Dublin without a glimpse of the Book of Kells. While I certainly have fun trying new foods, exploring new cities, or traipsing through botanical gardens with my sister, my own teaching is never far from my mind. The most important takeaway was remembering what it takes to fill my cup: experiencing history on site and thinking about how to make that experience come alive for my students.

Next, I was privileged to travel with English Department Head Mike Roark to Exeter Academy to attend a weeklong conference about the Harkness Method, a discussion-based approach to teaching. I certainly expected this conference to push me beyond my comfort level (which it did!), but I didn’t realize until later how I would be affected by the underlying implications of this approach. While I don’t plan to adopt Harkness teaching all of the time, I left with an important reminder: It’s never too late to change.

Following a brief research and development planning session with history colleague Olympia Koutsokalis to rework the World II history syllabus, we both were excited to join other Upper School teachers on a Civil Rights trip to Georgia and Alabama (see page nine). Forging new professional connections and learning with my colleagues was as central to this experience for me as the timely subject matter that we investigated. Our students are certainly struggling with the issue of racism and its various manifestations in recent years, so the relevance of these sites is important to our school and my own teaching of American history. Knowing the facts isn’t the same as being immersed as we were; perhaps the most important lesson for me was to remember the empathy engendered within this group of friends on the trip.

Finally, with the benefit of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, I spent two weeks in a seminar studying Vietnam—its rich history, the American war there, and its current role as an important communist country in Southeast Asia. Working at the National Humanities Center with 31 other teachers from all over the U.S., I attended lectures, watched films, held discussions, and met with a delegation of college professors from Vietnam. Being a student again, especially attending a few classes on the UNC campus over 30 years after earning my master’s degree there, brought back fond memories. Perhaps most important to me upon reflection is remembering what classes are like from the other side of the podium. Rushing from class to class, being surrounded by different types of learners, discerning the appropriate time to ask the right type of questions, staying afloat with rigorous assignments—these were all parts of being a student that I had forgotten. It was exciting, but it was also exhausting. No wonder those enrolled in my own Country Day classes are so tired.

Returning in August for the opening of the school year, we briefly shared professional development experiences across the Upper School division. It was impressive to hear that so many of my colleagues spent time this summer to become better at their jobs. It was also significant to hear how much support we receive as a faculty in this endeavor. These opportunities to travel, attend classes or conferences, apply for grants, pursue an interest, or catch up on our profession provide a much-needed impetus for creative change in our classes.