by Christina Lu ’17, Staff Writer

This school year, Newark Academy welcomed seven new faculty members, each bringing a unique background, different experiences, and new perspectives to share with the NA community.

The Minuteman Newspaper sat down with four of NA’s newest upper school teachers – Abigail Ayers, who teaches Math; Bernard Lockhart-Gilroy, who also teaches Math; Andrea Lankin, who teaches English; and Anna Zhao, who teaches Mandarin. We asked them about their past experiences, teaching preferences, and favorite things.

 

Q: What were you like in high school?

AA: I was very studious, and I really wanted to get into a good college, so I was really focused on being involved with the school, building up my resume, and building up my college application so I looked like a model student.

BLG: High School was kind of a weird time for me. I was a little geeky and a little weird; my group of friends and I spent most afternoons playing Dungeons and Dragons in the art room for no good reason other than the art teacher didn’t throw us out.

AL: I was an enormous nerd.

AZ: I loved learning. I went to E.R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, and I took different subjects and AP courses, I was on the math team, I took three years of Spanish, and I was the Treasurer – and later the president – of the Asian Club.

 

Q: What were you doing before you came to Newark Academy?

AA: Before I came to NA, I was studying math and education at UVA, and that is where I did my student teaching.

BLG: Last year, I was at St. Paul’s School for Girls, and before that, I was at the Hun School, which is just outside of Princeton, for 17 years. The time before then, I taught for two years at Bensalem, a small Catholic school that is just outside of Philly.

AL: I taught at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

AZ: Before coming to NA, I was the pre K-12 Mandarin curriculum coordinator at Germantown Friends School.

 

Q: What is your favorite thing about teaching?

AA: My favorite thing about teaching is seeing the look on a student’s face when they finally understand a topic that they’ve been working on for a very long time.

LG: My favorite thing about teaching is the moment when something new comes back to you…like,

my first or second year teaching, when I taught physics, we learned about optics and optical illusions, and then after the next next summer, my student, who was a big sailor, told me, “We saw this thing on the water, and I saw this mirage and I could tell everyone what it was!” As a teacher, it’s a great moment when you see that you’ve made a change in somebody.

AL: I love that moment when a student didn’t get “it”, and then we talk for a while, and they try it a few times and completely mess up, and then they get it. And you can see the discovery, that moment of triumph–that’s what I love.

AZ: I love it when students ask questions! It really shows that they’re thinking critically and that they’re passionate about what they’re learning. I also love inspiring students to do the best they can to find the passions in their lives. When I taught high school, I advised several of my students’ Mandarin-related Senior Projects, and it was great inspiring them to love learning, and to be global citizens throughout their entire lives.

 

Q: What is your least favorite part about teaching?

AA: Checking homework.

BLG: Grading.

AL: Since I’m going from college teaching to high school teaching, it’s difficult adjusting to the differently timed classes.

AZ: I really don’t have a least favorite part about teaching…I love meeting with students and talking and parents. I started teaching since I was fourteen, at all different levels, and I really love every part of teaching.

 

Q: Do you have a special talent that not many people know about?

AA:  I play steel drums, and was in a steel drum band for about 10 years.

BLG:  My talents are weird. I’m really good with computers, so I’ll do creative things with computers, like using my laptop to make these old sci-fi war posters.

AL: I read incredibly fast, which is very useful.

AZ: I can use both of my hands. For example, for bowling, can bowl with both hands, and for certain tasks, I only use my left hand, not my right. When I sew or cook, I use my left hand.

 

Q: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

AA: I like to read, I like to work out, and I like to cook.

BLG: I’m a big reader, so I read a lot in my free time. I also hang out with my wife and program.

AL: I love to cook. I improvise a lot of Eastern-European inspired Jewish food.

AZ: I love making dumplings with my parents! It’s lots of fun, and dumplings are my favorite food. I also love playing sports, travelling, and learning different languages–I’ve learned English, Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese.

 

Q: If you had to binge-watch one TV show, what would it be?

AA: Either Gossip Girl or Food Network.

BLG: The West Wing, which is quite possibly the best show I’ve ever seen, Firefly, because it’s just achingly good sci-fi that’s been cut short, or Person of Interest.

AL: I have not binge-watched TV in years… One book that I really respect, however, is called Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

AZ: Jeopardy! I even created a Jeopardy-style game to use in my classes; it creates a challenge and competition for my students.

 

Q: Favorite ice cream flavor?

AA: The red-velvet frozen yogurt at NA.

BLG: Chocolate.

AL: Mint Chocolate Chip most days.

AZ: Mocha ice cream.

 

Q: Do you have any advice for students now?

AA: Just enjoy high school as much as you can. It goes by quickly, and college classes are even harder, so enjoy your time here and make the most of your high school education.

BLG: It’s hard to give advice, particularly at NA because I’ve just come here, but I think the biggest thing is that while what you’re doing now is the most important thing to you because you’re doing it now, almost nothing you’re doing now matters as much as you think it does. Life is not that fragile.

AL: Pay attention to your responsibilities, knowing that at some point, you’re going to mess up, and you’re going to forget an assignment, or not be able to maintain your course load–and know that that’s normal and expected. And watch out for it before it happens, because your faculty can really help if you say “I’m beginning to get into trouble, I know I can’t make this deadline, I know I can’t write this paper and do this too…what can I do to fix this?” before the deadline hits. The faculty is really great for that moment, and the sooner you get to the faculty and say “Help”, the better shape you’ll be in, and the more we can do to help you.

AZ: Find your passions, be open to trying out different subjects and finding what you like and dislike, try to hone your communication and collaboration skills, and think outside of the box. Be kind and helpful, and try to be a world citizen.

 

The Minuteman Newspaper welcomes Ms. Ayers, Mr. Lockhart-Gilroy, Dr. Lankin, Ms. Zhou, and all of this year’s new teachers to Newark Academy, and hopes that they have a fantastic year!