Paige Boncher
In our first installment of “Faculty Discover,” Upper School faculty share some of the books, movies, shows, podcasts, and places that they enjoyed over the summer. Read on for some excellent recommendations!
We’ve all heard that great teachers are great learners. But what does this actually mean, day in and day out? This blog intends to highlight the specific ways that faculty at the MKA Upper School are modeling a love of learning in and out of the classroom. From inspiring field trips to innovative lesson plans to the pursuit of personal passions, this space will celebrate all of the ways that Upper School teachers are keeping learning alive for themselves and for their students.
Paige Boncher
This summer, three Upper School faculty members embarked on journeys to Yellowstone, Scandanavia, and Italy to pursue a personal passion or interest. The trips were funded by the PAMKA Trust Program whose purpose is to "recognize the importance of intellectual pursuit and personal renewal outside of a traditional academic setting.
Paige Boncher
On Friday, May 11, TV host, comedian, writer, and MKA parent Stephen Colbert ran his fifth annual workshop for Nicole Hoppe’s Improvisation class. Having begun his career in comedy with improvisation troupes in Chicago, Colbert is well-schooled in the art of “improv” and had many great lessons to share with the students.
Cynthia Darling
The May Term Teaching Internship program is one of the highlights of May, as Senior Teaching Interns join MKA classrooms at the Primary and Middle School campuses this month. Through the program, MKA seniors receive close, individualized mentorship from a seasoned MKA teacher while bringing their signature energy and enthusiasm to the younger students. The partnership leads to innovation, reflection and the forging of MKA connections across varied ages and experiences.
Paige Boncher
Nicole Hoppe, dance and drama teacher at the Upper School and chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department, is currently enrolled in a class called History of Jazz through a new certification program in the teaching of dance. She is excited to bring what she is learning into her own classroom by helping students understand the origins of their favorite contemporary music and dance – and by having them imitate the earlier styles.
Paige Boncher
Last week, Dr. Ferguson invited the author of an article she had assigned to her students into her Nonfiction elective. The writer, Kyla McMillan, a former student of Dr. Ferguson’s from Kent Place, is now working as an acclaimed writer and international art critic. Ferguson introduced Ms. McMillan to her students as a “force in the art world, in the world of writing, and in the world of social justice.”
Paige Boncher
Last month, four Upper School faculty – Dennis Hu, Michael Houston, Laura Treadaway, and Kyle Salkin – travelled to Anaheim, California to attend the 30th People of Color Conference, a convention whose mission is “to provide a safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools.”
Paige Boncher
Last month, French teacher Meg Slotkin designed and taught a unit of slam poetry in her French 4 Honors class for the first time. Says Slotkin.“The MKA environment and support for faculty enabled me to take a risk and not be afraid of failure.”
Paige Boncher
On Monday, upperclassmen from Writer’s Craft and Non-fiction Essay ventured into the city for the third annual New York City Writing Marathon, a culminating experience that ties together all of the writing they have produced in their writing notebooks throughout the semester. The outing allows students to engage in place-based writing where they gain inspiration from the bustling city around them.
Paige Boncher
On Monday, April 11, Martin Schmalenberg, an expert in the Japanese art of bonsai, gave a presentation to the students of David Hessler’s Japanese History course.
Paige Boncher
Last Tuesday, art instructor Nick Schutsky gave a Tuesday Talk to the student body in which he shared the results of a summer-long research project, creatively titled “Aesth-ethics.” “I believe that art that matters should make people uncomfortable…,” said Schutsky. “But how do we balance artistic commitments to tell the truth… with our ethical commitment to respect others with whom we disagree?” Visit the US Faculty blog to learn more about Mr. Schutsky’s thought-provoking project.
Paige Boncher
Physics teacher Ben Rich reports on a debate on fracking that he conducted in his Environmental Science class, and students reflect on how the exercise deepened their understanding of this complex issue.
Paige Boncher
After reading South African playwright Athol Fugard's Master Harold... and the boys, sixteen of Patty Forbes' ninth grade English students ventured into the city to see a production directed by Athol Fugard himself.
Paige Boncher
Spanish teacher Valbona Watkins invites a close friend and Cuban native into her class to discuss the implications of Fidel Castro's passing.
Paige Boncher
As part of MKA’s commitment to innovation in teaching, visiting scholar Christian Gregory is currently collaborating with English teacher Cynthia Darling in her 19th-century British Literature course for a unit on Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.
Paige Boncher
Hello, readers! My name is Paige Boncher – I am an English and Spanish teacher at the Upper School, and I am thrilled to bring this blog to you. Every day I am inspired by my colleagues’ creativity and passion for their subjects. Now, thanks to this space, I have the chance to chronicle their efforts in the classroom and to learn from them in the process. To kick off the blog’s opening, I thought I would start by sharing one of my own experiences that will undoubtedly affect my teaching.