Years ago, one late May, I popped into Michael’s office when he was about to sign the seniors’ diplomas. It was quiet in Olympus; everyone else had left for the day. He told me that he had a system: he’d take each one in turn and consider, for a few long moments, that particular student–what […]
So, the photo’s not that great, but the content of it is worth its weight in gold. This is what I found when I walked into my classroom this morning. Not so impressive, you say. But, what it represents is the hard work of some community minded seniors (Lane, Bea, Rachel, Cooper, Olivia, and […]
If there’s one thing that I will always remember learning from my Junior year, it is that the world is full of tests. They come in all different varieties ranging from academic to social to emotional. Although many students may immediately attach a negative connotation to the word “test,” I have realized that this attachment […]
With the first trimester finished and Thanksgiving break over, the students at Thacher find themselves in the middle of a very special time of year. The campus buzzes with excitement as gifts are exchanged and friends gather. The holiday season has begun, and it has allowed me to reflect inwardly and recognize the things I am […]
As I stared up at the night sky that overlooked the gorgeous view we had of the upper fields I had never felt more thankful. That night, Ms. Merlini, our dorm head, took all the girls in Middle School up to the outdoor chapel at 9:30. At first, we were all very tired and the […]
This past week in my AP US government and politics class, we each wrote a political article, about any subject conceivably related to government or our political system. We spent a few class days and homework nights perfecting our articles until our teacher posted them on our class blog. But, the most exciting part was […]
Muffled giggles from the other side of the seminar table. I walk around, find that one of my freshmen is on a page early in The Catcher in the Rye. “What’s funny, guys?” More giggles, but no response. “Seriously — what’s up here?” “Umm. We aren’t sure what ‘necking’ means.” “Oh. It means making out. OK?” […]
Students in the 10th Grade European history course recently wrapped up their study of World War I. The unit highlighted best practices in education including differentiated instruction and project based learning. Historical context for the unit was covered through classroom instruction and discussion, the analysis of primary sources, and readings in the text. However, students […]
There are numerous benefits to living in a dorm. I can walk to almost anywhere on campus in under 10 minutes. When I want to talk to a friend, I merely have to walk to their door and knock. Each dorm has its own personality from the girls or boys living within it and the […]
For anybody who doesn’t know, Thacher faculty members take weeklong turns as the teacher on active duty (TOAD) and begin the week by making some remarks at Monday’s Assembly. This week, my husband, Brian, is the TOAD, but it was easy for me to convince him to let me share some thoughts with the School. […]