NextGen Teachers

Student Crossroads Fellows Connect with MA Teachers About the Art and Science of Teaching

Let's just admit it; MA is obsessed with teaching and learning. Yes, of course, we're a school, and that's what we do, but at MA, we seriously geek out on pedagogical innovation. Year after year, MA reflects on new ways to support and inspire our faculty and pilot new programs based on the latest education research. Experiential learning, competency-based education, professional development, our Penn Fellowship program, educational technology, and transdisciplinary learning are just a few examples of our devotion to teaching and learning.

When your community is teeming with passionate educators, it's no surprise our students often find their passion in education. We have many alumni who are prominent educational leaders and innovators, many of whom got their start in our Crossroads program. Crossroads, now in its 22nd year, was founded to address issues of educational equity and the opportunity gap in the San Rafael community. Crossroads also creates opportunities for Marin Academy students to step into leadership roles as tutors and fellows who design and teach classes for middle school students at local San Rafael city schools.

Three Crossroads Fellows from the Class of 2024 interviewed their favorite teachers on exciting aspects of teaching and learning at MA and wrote the following three articles. These students, part of the next generation of teachers, share where their curricular design inspiration comes from.

Experiential Education with Jon Bretan, Science Faculty

by Zac R. '24

I have been a Crossroads tutor and fellow for almost all my time at MA. This year, I created and led a music class with the program, where I've been able to explore experiential education with hands-on learning. When teaching my music classes, I'll often play a chord, then have a student copy my finger pattern and play the chord back to me. We sometimes try to play chord progressions or simple songs together. I've learned how hard teaching is and seen how valuable it is for students to learn by doing. Although this is a subject that I've been working on for years, teaching others and remembering how difficult it was for me when I first started learning guitar has inspired me to find teaching strategies to keep it fun.

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) with Jon Bretan has been one of my favorite classes this year. The way Jon connects the information and skills he teaches to everyday issues and employs experiential learning has been incredibly engaging. In April, he brought in a part of his washing machine from home. He had fixed the machine himself and used this common home appliance to demonstrate a significant problem with our current system of consumerism, where we tend to buy new large home appliances wasting perfectly good electronic components because it's cheaper. Jon's enthusiasm for his work is infectious, and he frames our work together by connecting it to our interests.

Jon and I share a passion for music, and he's taught me how music and the guitar are intrinsically linked to what we are learning about electricity. Jon explained, "The electric guitar is this dynamic instrument that illustrates the concepts we cover in high school physics like Newton's Second Law (F = ma) where force is equal to mass times acceleration and Ohm's Law (V = IR), where V = voltage, I = current, and R = resistance. The story of the guitar is the story of all the electrical components we study in the fall."

In speaking with Jon, I learned why he focuses his class on experimental learning. Often, there's simply no match for the physical experience, especially in STEM fields. Jon shared, "I'll help you make it work and do everything I can to assist you on your journey, but it has to be you doing it—because when you are doing something yourself, that's when the information actually sticks."

Since Jon is my cross-country coach as well, he could also compare it to learning to run cross country, adding, "In any sport, you can't just read about it. You have to go do it. You can read many books about running and walk all of the courses, and you still won't be a runner. That's why learning by 'experience' is so powerful."

About the author: Zac R. is an MA senior. He is the Mock Trial team captain, an Admissions Fellow, a Crossroads Fellow, and a Conference on Democracy (COD) leader. He runs cross-country with the MA Wildcats and is also a musician who plays guitar in Advanced Bands.

The Power of Mentorship with Maribel Albarran, Science Faculty and Penn Fellow

by Anna H. '24

I have been part of Crossroads for two years now, participating in both tutoring and teaching a weekly class for local middle school students as a Crossroads Fellow. Crossroads immediately appealed to me because of my desire to teach others about topics I am interested in and the chance to connect with students from my own middle school, Davidson. It has been challenging to find the balance between creating a fun, engaging lesson while also making it informative, and Crossroads has been incredibly fulfilling and enriching for me.

9th-grade Biology and Environmental Science teacher Maribel Albarran got her start and motivation to become a teacher by being a part of the Crossroads program herself. Initially starting at MA as a science Lab Tech, Maribel quickly became involved in Crossroads as the coordinator and then as a science and math teacher for Aim High, a summer program for middle schoolers.

I started my high school experience during COVID and was full of nerves when I first logged into my 9th-grade Biology class on Zoom. Thankfully, I quickly found I could easily connect with my teacher, Maribel. Her warmth and compassion shone through and felt especially necessary when starting high school and joining a new community during the pandemic. Little did I know that this was her first year teaching at MA.

Wanting to continue her academic journey as a teacher, Maribel found the Penn Fellows program and realized it was the perfect fit for her. MA's 2-year program with the University of Pennsylvania allowed her to continue gaining teaching experience as she earns her Master's degree. The program also offers a lot of support, and Maribel shared she was especially excited to work with "a good mentor that could teach and really push [her]," something she found when paired with long-time science teacher Liz Gottlieb.

During our conversation, Maribel's genuine love for the students she works with was very apparent. Her empathy and desire to teach her students and also to learn from them was something that really stood out and felt very relevant to my own experiences with Crossroads. We can learn new things every day. Throughout each class as a Fellow, my partners and I work with the students on planning activities that appeal to them, and we often find they end up teaching us.

As a new teacher, Maribel was no stranger to feeling overwhelmed and could relate to worrying about teaching correctly. She clearly felt her mentors and colleagues had a big impact during her first few years of teaching. The piece of advice that Maribel received from Liz in the beginning and then recently passed on to me was simple: "You can just start over the next day—don't be so hard on yourself."

I realized that while I am teaching the kids in Crossroads, it is okay to make mistakes from time to time and to not get into my head about mishaps. This is a learning opportunity for the students and a period of growth for us as "teachers." There will always be something new to learn and improve in. Maribel's journey from Crossroads to being a full-time teacher has shown me that mentorship, perseverance, and confidence are the keys to becoming a great teacher and are things that I can utilize during my time at Crossroads.

About the author: In addition to being part of Crossroads, Anna H. is also an Admissions Fellow and plays on the Girls Varsity Basketball team. Outside of school, she dances competitively and enjoys baking, cooking, and exploring with friends.

Connecting Across Difference with Ana Anderson, English Faculty

by Noa F.-L. '24

"The same qualities I want in students, willing to have your mind changed, you need as a teacher too" was one of the valuable pieces of advice from my English teacher Ana Anderson. I chose to become a Crossroads Fellow because I enjoy teaching and connecting with different kinds of people. Last year while teaching a cooking class in the MA kitchen, we found the middle school students we were teaching contributed their own ideas about what they wanted to make, and in the end, they were teaching the teachers new decorating techniques. This is just one of the lessons I've learned from my Crossroads experience that was reinforced when interviewing Ana.

Through my experience in Crossroads and MA's interdisciplinary ideology, I had the chance to interview Ana about what it's like to teach a new set of students each year and gain insights into how she is able to connect with all the different types of students she teaches. When I asked about this, she replied, "Make sure students know that you care about who they are and how they learn." I was immediately reminded of how Ana starts every class with a check-in question to get us warmed up and engaged. Ana makes sure to look you in the eye and let you know that you're being heard. I started doing check-in questions during my classes through Crossroads. Over time I saw my students come out of their shells and found they were more willing to tell me stories or details about their lives.

I have greatly appreciated having Ana Anderson as my English teacher for the past two years. She does a great job of connecting individually with each of her students and catering to their specific needs. This year especially, I have noticed my English class blossoming with discussions as nearly every student is deeply engaged and shares multiple times each class. This successful class dynamic is credited to her. I have learned from her how important it is to really get to know and listen to your students before teaching them.

This year I taught a wellness and mindfulness class at Crossroads, hoping to teach the students about stress management and healthy habits. Teaching this class has been a way for me to share what I have learned but also has been an outlet for us to relax and dedicate time to self-care. When I employed some of these powerful connection techniques, I found I was able to really get to know some really cool middle school students.

It's also important to acknowledge the difficult parts of teaching, something that both Ana and I have experienced in our separate work environments, such as when the students aren't listening or when you struggle to connect with someone who is very different from yourself. Sometimes students learn differently or have totally different interests. When I questioned Ana about this, she replied, "I have something to learn about everyone." Being a good teacher isn't only about teaching but also about learning. Ana reflected that varying opinions promote stronger discussions and deeper insights that benefit the class and also teach the teacher too.

About the author: Along with being a Crossroads fellow, Noa F-L. is quite active at MA. She participates in Admissions Fellows, the Human Development program, and is also a captain of MA's Girls Varsity Volleyball and Basketball teams. Noa has a passion for challenging herself in the classroom and teaching.