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Department bonds and teacher friendships prove prominent at PDS
Olivia Melodia, X
Contributing Writer
Do you remember the almost epileptic shock that you experienced the first time that you saw your second grade teacher at the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon? In your naiveté, the thought of discovering one of your teachers anywhere outside of the classroom seemed outrageously wrong. You had naturally assumed that all teachers live at school, eat at school, sleep at school, and talk only about school.
Even as high school students, we are often too self-absorbed to consider that teachers might actually have social lives. However, if we pay closer attention, it is easy to see that teacher friendships flourish throughout PDS. Whether we realize it, the dynamics between specific teachers and departments help to shape our school as a community.
Speaking on behalf of the History Department, George Sanderson stressed the importance of close relationships within the department. “We have a very collegial department. We work very closely together; we like each other.” William Asch, part of a different but equally familiar group, gushed, “The Math Department now is very close, and I really enjoy my colleagues a lot.”
Both teachers mainly attribute the closeness within their department to their office situation. Unlike many other schools, PDS has inclusive, conveniently located department offices, as opposed to individual classrooms for each teacher. While some teachers complain of a cramped, congested environment, most find it helpful and advantageous. Spanish teacher Doug McLane remarked that for the Language Department, having a communal space is useful for sharing resources and ideas. According to Mr. Asch, the math office is so essential to their department that AJ Goldman, the department head, finds himself spending most of his time there, instead of in his own office next door. “Having a department office is much more conducive to collaborating and working together,” Mr. Sanderson emphasized.
All three teachers agree that curricular coordination and collaboration is key to a successful department. While every teacher has his or her own teaching style, each curriculum should ultimately achieve the same goals. Mr. Asch and Mr. McLane mention that a popular topic of conversation among teachers is which teaching methods are compatible with which types of students—what works and what does not. “We are able to learn a lot from each other,” Mr. Asch continued. Mr. Sanderson linked strong personal relationships to strong teaching relationships, saying, “The better you know someone, the more opportunities there are for you to work together in a positive way.”
However, like in any social setting, distinct groups—“cliques”—have emerged over the years. Although PDS is overall a friendly environment, Mr. McLane acknowledges that some new teachers have difficulty fitting in because of the previously established friend groups. While Mr. Asch notes that the Math Department usually sits together at lunch merely out of habit or coincidence, groups like these can be intimidating.
In addition, the rumored “Math-History Rivalry” is a topic of great interest for students and teachers alike. However, when asked point-blank about the alleged tension between the two departments, Mr. Sanderson and Mr. Asch reacted similarly. “I’ve never heard that,” Mr. Sanderson responded with a shocked expression. Mr. Asch laughed, shook his head, and replied, “I don’t know anything about that. That’s kind of silly, don’t you think?”
It does seem a bit silly, considering the various bonds that have formed between all of the departments throughout the years. In fact, many of these relationships extend beyond the hours of the school day. Mr. Asch enjoys frequent walks with history teacher Howie Powers and Mr. Sanderson plays golf with a small group of math teachers. Mr. and Mrs. McLane often spend time with Ms. Shepard and Mr. Freedholm. Mr. McLane added, “It’s really nice having another married couple around. We can talk about … married people stuff.” Mr. Asch maintains a particularly close friendship with Harvey Lee, an influential math teacher who retired last year. “Harvey and I get together every Halloween and a lot of kids like to come to see him at my house in Ettl Farm,” Mr. Asch said. Mr. McLane has also remained close with retired teachers Mr. Bailey and Ms. Winton.
Teachers of all subjects can benefit from one another through close collaboration and a welcoming environment. In fact, the friendships between teachers at PDS probably serve as one of the many reasons why we, as students, respect and enjoy our teachers as much as we do. As Mr. Asch concluded, no matter the department, “all teachers share a common bond.”
Posted by Spokesman Editors
on December 21, 2011. Filed under December 2011,Featured Content,Features.
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