The Decision To Teach
Having earned a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburg and after teaching sociology at the collegiate level for 35 years, what could motivate a former chair of the Sociology Department at Brigham Young University to take on a class full of high school seniors?
After serving in the military as the Senior Tri-Service Instructor for Chinese, Senior Army Instructor for Chinese and translator, why would a former Associate Research Consultant in the Humanities Research Center at BYU choose to teach Chinese to a classroom of grade-schoolers?
With years of experience as the Dean of Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania, what could be the motivation to take a position as a teacher of history and mathematics at a small private school in Utah Valley?
Along with the rest of the faculty at Meridian School, the above mentioned Lynn England, Kim Smith and Philip Townsend realize that there is something special about this Orem based school. Ever since first opening its doors in 1989, a welcoming atmosphere along with a firm belief in striving for excellence have attracted well qualified individuals with a variety of experiences to teach at Meridian. “We don’t run into the same problems of public schools here (at Meridian),†England said. “The kids are less resistant and we don’t fight the same battles in our classrooms.â€
Dr. England started teaching at Meridian in 2001. Recognizing that his grandson would have difficulties flourishing in a public school environment, Dr. England enrolled both himself and his grandson at Meridian: Dr. England as a teacher and his grandson as a student. Seven years later, Dr. England’s grandson is loving school, and Dr. England’s students are benefiting from their teacher’s many years of experience as a college professor. “When I first started here, I was impressed by the closeness the students develop,†Dr. England said. “It’s more of a family feeling and the students are very supportive of each other.â€
While drawn to the school for many different reasons, the teachers at Meridian all have two things in common: a wealth of experience and love for their students.
One would be hard pressed to find a more qualified group of teachers than those at Meridian. During the 2007-2008 school year, the faculty boasted more than 60 college degrees, five of those being Ph.D.s. More importantly, the faculty also combined to bring hundreds of years of teaching experience to share with their students.
Why do so many qualified educators choose to teach at Meridian? For each teacher there is a different answer. One of the reasons mentioned over and over is the added benefits of teaching small classes. “It’s wonderful to have a small enough class to take regular field trips,†6th grade teacher Eileen Nagle said. “There is so much learning to be done outside of the classroom that is impossible with larger classes.â€
With a maximum class size of 18 students in the lower grades, and 24 in the middle and upper grades, Meridian allows for closer teacher-student relationships. “I’ve had 5-25 students in a class,†Dr. England said. “With the smaller classes the students tend to be closer to each other and you really learn to care about the students individually. It’s something that’s just not possible in public schools.â€
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