4 minute read
Peck News: Spring/Summer 2022
Alumni Spotlight: AMIE (PIERCE) McINERNEY ’91
You could say Amie (Pierce) McInerney, Class of ’91, was born to be a teacher. After all, her grandmother and mother were part of the Peck faculty for more than seven decades! Her mother, Judy Pierce, taught kindergarten for 45 years, retiring in 2013. Her grandmother, Helen Hurley, taught second grade for 18 years and was the Lower School reading specialist for 14 years.
Following in their footsteps wasn’t necessarily Amie’s plan as a child; however, her student teaching experience while she was at the College of Charleston changed her mind. She soon entered the field of elementary education. Amie has taught at Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, a private K-12 all-girls school, since 2001. She credits her students for bringing her joy and turning her exhaustion at the end of each day into excitement at the start of a new one.
One of the things that Amie affectionately cherishes about her time at Peck was the strong sense of family and community, especially as she was a student alongside her brother, Tod ʼ89. Although it has been a while since Amie was a student at Peck, the positive memories and the lessons she learned while being here are evident in her classroom today. I sat down with Amie to chat about what led her to Ashley Hall and how teaching has been a light in her life for over 21 years.
What would be your advice to someone who wants to get into teaching, specifically early childhood development?
Amie: For someone who is thinking about becoming an educator, there is so much about you as a person that will change from when you take those education classes in college, to when you begin your career, to getting where I am today. The reason you change is because of the children—they make you grow, and they keep you young and vibrant. They allow you to view the world through another lens, which is so beautiful. Every year, you change because either a child taught you something new, or something happened in the world around us and you have to help them navigate through that and their emotions. It’s unlike any profession. While the job can be demanding and exhausting, it is also incredibly rewarding.
What do you find to be the most gratifying aspect of teaching young children?
Amie: I feel that kindergarten and first grade are two of the most special years— something my mom and I agree on. They learn not only just letter sounds and numbers, but they are always taking that next step. They are learning how to read books, write stories, and do math problems, things that they never thought they could do. A whole new world is constantly opening in front of their eyes.
How have Peck’s character education concepts, like “Consideration of Others” and core values influenced your teaching style?
Amie: I remember shaking former Head of School Rudy Deetjen’s hand every day at Peck and looking him in the eye. Something as simple as a handshake and eye contact is something Peck instilled in me at a very early age. I now practice these simple, yet effective techniques with my students daily. It is also important for me to work at a school that equally prioritizes character education. Similar to Peck, Ashley Hall has seven Hallmarks that personify an Ashley Hall student: to be intelligent, creative, compassionate, discerning, collaborative, purposeful, and worldly. We take our school's mission very seriously, which is to teach these girls to be independent and empowered to make decisions, while showing respect to others and individuals.
What do you believe are the most important qualities of a good elementary education program that parents should seek out for their children? Specifically, an independent school education?
Amie: Peck and Ashley Hall have quite a few similarities—rigorous academics, storied traditions, and an incredible sense of family as soon as you arrive on campus. Like Peck, Ashley Hall has an expansive campus, small class sizes, lots of outdoor space, a robust extra curricular program, and family-style dining. We also have long-standing traditions, which are so fun to celebrate every year! When parents walk onto campus the warm environment is always on display just as it was at Peck.
