Bard, A Place to Think - Master of Arts in Teaching

Hometown: Harrisburg, PA
Previous Education: Fordham University, B.A. Philosophy

Why did you choose Bard?
Since I was an undergraduate at a large university, I never had the small, close-knit community feel, so I wanted to make sure I had it in graduate school. I always envisioned graduate school as a place where you could get very close to your professors and colleagues, and at Bard it’s only become truer as the year progresses. Also, I knew from reading about the program and talking to graduates from Bard that it isn’t the kind of place that just puts you through the mill. Once a Bardie, always a Bardie.
Another thing I have to mention is that when it came to choosing between Bard, Teachers College or the Peace Corps, what drew me to Bard was Cecilia Maple [Program Administrator]. Whatever I chose, I would get to teach, so when it came time to make the decision it was about the general feeling I got about my options. The other programs didn’t give me the same feeling of belonging that Bard did. When I talked to admissions people at Bard, they made me feel like joining the program would be about joining a real movement, something really special.

Tell us about your student teaching experience.
The school where I student taught is a school for English language learning internationals. They have been in the country less than 3 years and are working on acquiring English proficiency to broaden their opportunities. Their classes are taught in English but they sit and work in groups where they are allowed to speak their native language to each other and interpret for their classmates. It’s really interesting to watch. The model is all about collaboration, and using the language skills you already have to acquire new language skills. It’s very Bardian. It’s about starting where you are, starting with what you’ve got and using that knowledge and those skills to help you move further.
I really enjoy seeing how easy it is for students from different cultures, who don’t all possess the same language skills, learn to get along and communicate. Another great thing about the school is that a lot of the teachers there are graduates of Bard, so there is a great sense of community among the staff, too. They are all in it together, working on the same mission, working hard. A real teacherly force.

Is there anything else you would like to share with prospective Bard students?
The way to make the most of the Bard program is twofold: 1) keep up with all the readings (there isn’t a single irrelevant reading in any class) and 2) interact as much as possible with colleagues and professors, whether socially out of school or in the classroom. It’s a relatively fast master’s degree (the one year option) but it is worth it to build strong ties so when you leave you can keep in touch forever. Everyone is very much about building community and sticking together. You get a real sense that all those involved with the program really want a big family of MATers. Take advantage of that.