Lower School Middle School
Upper School
"I started in 2014 teaching a freshman-level course, and I loved interacting with my students," he recalls. "There's a certain game of'How do I present this in such a way that's clear, without excessive jargon, that keeps their imagination firing. And explains why something 700 years ago matters, is relevant and gives students a reason to learn it."
"There's always the question of'Why do I need to know this and how will it help me?' This year, I started with,'This makes you a wellrounded citizen and a better human being.' I'm going to do everything in my power not to put a stumbling block in your path and help you to appreciate and love the class."
Jesse has developed a variety of challenging assignments to keep the students engaged.
He explains, "When we were studying the Reformation, I sent the students to a Catholic or Episcopal Church, whichever is more different from their personal denomination, to see from the inside what was going on that period."
"In reading The Things TheyCarried, a veteran's account of the Vietnam War, I ask students to hear from a veteran about the war and to let the veteran guide the conversation," he continued.
"Bringing the themes ofthe reformation into conversation with the Vietnam War is really interesting. We study Winthrop's sermon ["City on a Hill"] and then later in the year study Reagan quoting Winthrop's sermon."
"During our reading of TheScarletLetter, to understand some of what it was like for Hester to wear the red ''N.' for''Adultery," some students volunteered to wear a letter for one oftheir self-proclaimed shortcomings: "T" for "Tardy," ''N.' for''Arrogant," or "P" for "Parked-InSomeone-Else's-Spot. The resulting explanatory conversations were interesting, and students could better understand how awkward it would be to wear for the rest of their lives."
"I want my classroom to feel attentive and energetic, where people are learning. I don't want it to be a class where I'm only lecturing, and they're listening, although that needs to happen sometimes. I want them to re-enact [here he gestures to his George Washington wig he had just worn in the Constitutional Convention] or get in the role of Mephistopheles in Dr. Faustus [here he gestures to the devil horns]-don't worry, it's voluntary, but I did have some who didn't want to take offthe horns," he laughs.
"The students appreciate the course and do their work. It's just been a really good experience. I'm really happy being here, and there's not a part of me longing to go back to the college level."
Report on Giving
2023-24
919-782-3331
StDavidsRaleigh.org/admission
@stdavidsschool
