Erin Rent, a new teacher here in the 2013-2014 year, is leaving the school. Rent, who is a chemistry teacher, said while experiencing teaching here she picked up several “tools for the repertoire for further possible teaching opportunities.”

Like many new teachers here, this was Rent’s first time using a teaching method such as the Harkness table. Rent explained that in future cases, the Harkness method for a teacher can be a helpful tool. Rent makes clear what excites her about a classroom dynamic: “When a student comes in and expresses their passion or a finding from a field of science, it brings a really special energy to the class culture and inspires other students around them to go out into the world of science and explore.”

Rent said that as students from her class come in with findings from outside sources, it sparks conversation and more learning opportunities for everyone, not just the student. Rent said she really enjoys a learning environment where everyone can be involved and learned from one another not just learn from a lecturing teacher.