Below are six of the 15 Teaching Fellows for the 2016-2017 school year.
Aileen Eisenberg, French
What drew you to teach French at Andover?
It was hard for me to find teachers who made French exciting at the beginning, so I am interested in making the [learning process] exciting from the start. [I chose] Andover specifically because the students were incredible… when I visited the faculty and students were very welcoming, and I think the school really tries to continually progress.
What do you look forward to in and outside the classroom?
In my classes, I am definitely looking forward to getting to know the students better and getting to learn from them just as much as they, hopefully, do from me. Outside the classroom, [I hope to] really [see] what the Andover community is like, and [see] where I can fit in and learn from the people.
Alison Hamlin, Chemistry
Is there anything specific that drew you to Andover?
One of my best friends went here actually, and so I’d always known about her experience. I was also looking at different independent schools that have similar fellow programs. One of the things that really stuck out to me about Andover was their dedication to equity and inclusion, and I think there are a lot of conversations happening on this campus that aren’t happening elsewhere. That got me really excited and that was the type of community I wanted to be part of.
What is it that makes you passionate about chemistry?
When I started college, I went in as a chemical engineering major. I had enjoyed A.P. Chemistry in high school and had a really great teacher and I think that was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. But then I took organic chemistry my freshman year [in college] in addition to [an introductory] chemical engineering class and the engineering class was way too much math and not enough chemistry, and the organic chemistry class I really loved.
Ian Wollman, Chinese
What got you interested in pursuing a career related to Chinese?
Actually, I went here [as a student] and I went to one of those sample classes that all new students go to if they want to check out the more nontraditional stuff, and so I took a Chinese sample class… I guess I was just hooked from that class, pretty much, from day one. I just think it’s a really cool language.
So you were a student here– is there something specific about Andover that drew you back?
I grew up in [the town of] Andover as well, and the school has always been a big part of the town community. That being said, it’s always been a bit of a community in and of itself, and I really appreciate stuff like what CAMD does to build that sense of community.
Jose Peralta, Biology
What got you interested in teaching or being involved in biology?
Growing up, I thought that I was going to pursue a career in medicine, but I think that the longer I stayed in school, especially being the first in my family to graduate from college, I learned that I could help students, especially those who share a similar story to mine –
being first-generation college students and sort of aspiring to be something in life.
What was it specifically that brought you to Andover?
Being a boarding school, Andover is causing a ripple effect in education, especially in the private sector, by implementing policies like the need-blind admissions policy, and I think that it’s a great opportunity for widening the sort of aisle of opportunity for any student from here in the U.S. to abroad, and I think that’s something I hope other schools will eventually follow.
Travis Magaluk, Physics
What inspired you to be involved in and teach physics?
I am very interested in the way things work and how things work in everyday life. I studied engineering in college and I’ve always been interested in just applying physics to everyday life. I’m a big climber and I’m passionate about teaching, [so] I kind of wanted to combine those two passions.
Is there anything special to Andover that you think has really affected your experience as of now?
I think the location is awesome! I’ve really been enjoying the scenery and how it reminds me of my home in Michigan. It’s very different from the mountainous West. And everyone’s just been so nice and so kind and I think that’s been a great part of it so far, and the students have been great.
Ryan Glenn, Physics
What inspired you to teach physics? What do you love about it?
I had a really great physics teacher back in high school. I went to Kent School, down in Connecticut, so that’s one of the things that brought me back to the boarding school experience… I had a really great physics teacher [who] really got me interested in the world around us and how we can understand and model it.
What brought you to Andover?
Well, it was the prep-school experience. I spent three years at boarding school and it was a fantastic time. I really loved having all the students, faculty, you know everyone gets really engaged in the community. I didn’t know I wanted to teach, so for my senior year [of college], when I was looking for jobs, this came up and everything seemed to work out!
