Some students do not even consider the possibility of returning to classes after they are done with college, but for some teachers on the Upper School campus, taking extra classes gives them the opportunity to continue furthering their knowledge.

Jane Keller – Masters in contemplative education

Upper School mathematics teacher Jane Keller is currently enrolled in a two-year program at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado to work towards  a master’s degree in contemplative education.

“It’s really about teaching me how to be a better, more present person in my classroom, and how to work more effectively with each student individually,” Keller said.

The course consists of a three-and-a-half week program during the summer and online classes during the rest of the year.

“I was a Harker kid this summer,” Keller said. “We did a whole semester of several classes [in three and a half weeks]. They only let a certain number of people in the program, so we got to know each other really well. It was exceptionally hard work.”

As the director of the Living and Wellness board, Keller realized that this specific major would assist her in helping other teachers and students she currently works with.

“[The program] just really spoke to me,” she said. “I think it can teach me a lot about how to be better myself, how to help other teachers connect with their students, and how to help students find their path.”

Keller will return to Colorado next summer for more classes, while also continuing her online courses. She plans to graduate from the program in 2015.

Gabriele Stahl – Spanish

Because of her interest and participation in the tango, mathematics teacher Gabriele Stahl takes a Spanish class to better communicate with her teachers and classmates in her dance classes.

In addition to taking Spanish classes, Stahl also takes tango lessons. Like her Spanish classes, these have given her a new perspective in how she teaches and help her understand the difficulties that students go through while learning math.

“I clearly have a math brain. I don’t have a language brain,” Stahl said. “Most people learn faster than I do. When I took it here at Harker, I was the weakest student in the class, and I was with freshmen in that class, and all the freshmen were so much better than I was.”

This is Stahl’s fifth attempt at learning Spanish. Her first four attempts included sitting in on classes taught by Diana Moss at school, local community colleges, and an immersion trip to Costa Rica.

Stahl believes that her difficulties in learning Spanish help her understand the plight of students in her own classes who have trouble understanding the material.

“I think of [my students] so often when I sit in class, and I have the same experiences that I think you all have,” she said. “For example, being put on the spot and totally forgetting what I wanted to say. That happens to me all the time, and it is totally embarrassing.”

Stahl believes that all teachers could benefit from similar experiences.

“[The class] really connects me much more with my own students,” she said. “That’s why I would recommend this to [all teachers]. Do it somewhere where you aren’t so good. When we are always brilliant we don’t have that experience, but when we suffer and struggle that is when we feel like our own students.”

Her tango lessons have also given her a look into how she teaches and has helped her understand the difficulties that students go through when learning math.