CAMPUS AS CLASSROOM

are asked to prepare the obligatory “Philosophy of Teaching Statement” as the opening act of their portfolios, just as I was. Being a veteran of 20 years, I think it is only now that I could begin to craft the mere beginnings of my own philosophy of education. I understand this practice helps newer educators have a baseline from which to work; however, I would challenge that it should be teachers exiting the profession that craft these deeply personal and reflective narratives as well, so that teachers just entering this profession can learn from their elders.

What I have loved most about being a mentor is working through the hard “stuff” of teaching. Curriculum is, of course, important, but it is how to work through the difficult conversations with others, how to support student learning, and how to navigate the not knowing that grows like weeds in the first years of teaching.

As the Fellows are spending time in multiple divisions and offices, it is important to focus on more than one aspect of the experience, and to try to see how the relationships that are forged with others will prove to be the outline used to start drafting their own “Of Teacherly Life.” Conversations about managing personal life and honoring boundaries are important to have, as well as recognizing when they are being presented with an opportunity to grow, even if it feels like it won’t benefit them in the present moment or is not in alignment with previously held beliefs.

When I landed my first teaching position in Nanakuli, Hawaii, I was handed a key to my room, told “good luck,” and didn’t have a check-in with the administration for almost three months. What I would have given to have a person— my person—who I could have been vulnerable with! I was so alone. The mistakes were numerous.

As a mentor, the fertile soil that I provide helps another educator to grow. These seeds—these stories that are just beginning to take shape—need a place to be brainstormed, drafted, and edited. This is the safe space that the Fellowship provides for the newcomer to the teaching collective. It is a place where old books can dust off their jackets and share their tales, and where opportunities abound for the new glossy editions, because everything old can be new again.

About the Author

Shannon MacDonald, BS, MS, P ’30, ’34, has held the position of LS Literacy Specialist and Literacy Curriculum Coordinator for the past 13 years on the Hilltop. Prior to Hackley, she was a tenured public school classroom teacher, working in Carmel CSD, Irvington UFSD, and Waianae (Nanakuli) District of Oahu, Hawaii; bringing her years in teaching to 20. She holds NYS Permanent certification in Pre K-6, Professional NYS licensure in Literacy K-6, and has training in Orton-Gillingham, TCRWP, Fountas & Pinnell, educational assessment, and school leadership.

The Teaching Fellowship is made possible in part from a generous gift from Annie Zaldastani and John Griffen P ’18, ’21.

MELISSA BOVIERO, MIDDLE SCHOOL DEAN, SCIENCE TEACHER

On The Importance Of The Middle School Digs In The Forest And Around Campus

Every fall, the sound of rock hammers fills the air around campus. Throughout the Hackley Forest, the clink, clink, clink reverberates through the trees, letting you know that our sixth graders have started their unit on rocks and minerals. At first glance, rocks don’t seem very exciting for students. They’re often covered in dirt, filling the outdoor background of our lives. But through this unit, students take the time to stop and examine rocks. As they choose their samples to mine out, the beauty and colors of rocks come to life.

As part of the sixth grade Earth science curriculum, students engage in real-life Minecraft by exploring and gathering samples at rock outcrops around campus. They learn how to properly and safely use a chisel and hammer to break apart samples from rock faces, and those samples are then analyzed in the classroom for identification. We are fortunate to have a campus full of beautiful rock outcrops, including gold and silver-colored micas, pink feldspars, glassy red garnets, bright yellow citrines, and even small purple amethysts. Students not only learn their science content by doing authentic lab techniques in the outdoors, but they also gain an appreciation for the natural beauty of our campus, even the rocks they might often overlook.

By Christina Wang ’18