From studying ancient history, Greek, and Latin at Bard College in New York to teaching seventh-grade history and coaching middle school cross country, history teacher Ethan Clarke has taken an unexpected but exciting path to Kingswood Oxford.
Mr. Clark came to KO shortly after graduating from college this past spring, where he studied and focused on the ancient world. Although he continues learning about the ancient world, he found himself drawn to American history. “I feel a lot more connected to American history,” Clark said. “I think it feels more personal and more important to teach.” At KO, he has the opportunity to bring that interest into the classroom by teaching seventh-grade American history, giving him a chance to explore a subject he is passionate about and help students connect with the history as much as he does.
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Clark is also becoming involved in the KO community through Middle School sports. He is coaching middle school girls’ and boys’ cross country, middle school boys’ basketball, and middle school girls’ and boys’ tennis. Coaching different sports gives him the chance to get to know students outside the classroom and become part of their everyday lives. Along with coaching, an important aspect of the KO Middle School is the advisory program and structure. Mr. Clark advises eighth-graders, and his advising role is flexible as he transitions and learns.
KO has a new faculty mentor program, designed to help new faculty members become comfortable in the school community. Each year, a new teacher is paired with an experienced KO faculty mentor who helps lead classes with them and helps them lead their own classes. As part of the program, Mr. Clark teaches some seventh-grade history classes independently while also co-teaching a class with Middle School history teacher Kelly Anstead. This allows him to gain experience leading his own class while learning alongside a more experienced teacher. As Mr. Clark continues to find his place at KO, he is looking forward to building relationships with students through teaching, coaching, and advising. “I’m excited to learn more about the advising program and build relationships with students over the year,” he said. “I think that’s a really special thing about KO, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the year goes.”
