After a decade of the Middle School’s involvement in the Lesley University postgraduate teacher program, the Upper School (US) partnered with the University of Pennsylvania through the Penn Fellows Independent School Teaching Residency. Twenty-one other independent schools are involved in the two-year program that brings teachers-in-training from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education to gain experience in the classroom.

 Teacher Training Institute & Educator Development Director Elaine McNeil-Girmai introduced the Penn Fellowship program to the US.

 “BB&N is committed to being a private institution with a public purpose,” she said. “Joining the Penn Fellowship supports this effort by allowing us to train educators through our teacher training and preparation programs here at BB&N that will go out into the larger world.”

 “This year, two Penn fellows are working at the school. US MathTeacher Joe Cyr is mentoring Virginia Heinsen, and US History Teacher Susan Glazer is partnering with Emma Grayeb. The Penn fellows applied to the US like any teacher – through interviews and by teaching a practice class – but they also had to apply for the Penn Fellowship to secure the position.

 Ms. Grayeb is teaching Global History I.

 “I love history, and I love sharing that passion with other people,” she said. “I’m really excited to see how the BB&N students engage with the course. I also hope to learn from brilliant teachers, learn to become a better educator and form meaningful relationships with all the students I have.”

 This year, Ms. Heinsen teaches Precalculus Advanced.

 “I have learned how much planning and effort goes into being a teacher that often goes unnoticed,” she said. “There are a lot of things we teachers are doing, like trying to make things clear and straightforward.”

 Ms. Heinsen previously worked at a New Haven public school for a six-week summer program.

 “Some public schools can be overwhelming because there are fewer resources, but working with BB&N has been amazing with the opportunities and resources, and working with Dr. Cyr has been excellent for focusing on honing my teacher skills in a private high school before potentially switching back to public school.”

 The Penn fellows bring new teaching strategies to the US, Dr. Glazer said. In September, Dr. Glazer introduced one of Ms. Grayeb’s ideas to her class.

 “A benefit is having teachers who are very young and motivated, engaged people. The fellows bring a lot of new pedagogies and techniques to BB&N, and I have already seen that in place. Ms. Grayeb gave me an idea for a hands-on activity on Monday for something that I implemented on Tuesday, and that was really fun and exciting.”

 Dr. Glazer sees several lessons she can pass on to Ms. Grayeb.

 “It’s important to teach the art of balancing your schedule and being there for yourself and others – something that teachers normally struggle with,” she said. I also hope I can help her find her voice as a teacher and her style. My personality and interests have definitely shaped who I am as a teacher, and I hope she can find out who she is, as well.”

 Dr. Cyr is also learning through his partnership with Ms. Heinsen.

 “I am really excited to be a mentor because it requires me to look introspectively about my own teaching and think deeply about the things I do. It’s not just beneficial for Ms. Heinsen, but also is very beneficial for me. I hope that I can help Ms. Heinsen develop her own self as a teacher to find her own strengths and ways of teaching that suit her and also help her students.”

 Liam Cunnigham ’27 is in Ms. Heinsen’s precalculus class.

 “It’s interesting because Ms. Heinsen is the youngest teacher I’ve ever had, and I feel that helps to create a better student-teacher connection,” he said. “I enjoy her teaching style. She is very approachable and organized. She always has sheets of homework planned out, fun activities and is available for extra help.”

 The school plans to continue the program, Ms. McNeil-Girmai said. Ms. Grayeb said she hopes to teach at a private school after her fellowship, while Ms. Heinsen may return to public school teaching.