While many families enjoy a quiet summer, McDonogh School’s teachers used the break as a chance to deepen their knowledge and bring new ideas to students. The school’s Senior Director of Mission Integration and Partnerships, Kevin Costa, said the institution “firmly believes that teaching is a noble and lifelong calling, and wholeheartedly invests in our teachers’ educational journey.”
Exploring History at Home
The eighth‑grade Humanities team spent a week in the Wilson | Young Archives, uncovering primary sources that link the school to major 20th‑century events such as the New Deal and the Moon Landing. “The richness of the School’s historical legacy makes the Archives an ideal setting for the critical‑thinking skills we want our eighth graders to build,” said faculty member Julia Chandler. Students will soon work with letters from World War I alumni, photographs, newspaper clippings and government documents to connect personal stories to broader history.
International Journeys Inform Curriculum
Upper School History teacher Riley Valentine traveled to Brussels to study Belgium’s colonial past in the Congo, gaining firsthand insight for upcoming lessons on imperialism. Visual‑arts instructor Jess Bastidas spent three weeks in Japan, studying woodblock printing, lacquerware and washi papermaking. She plans to show students how art, architecture and even food presentation reflect cultural values and craftsmanship.
Outdoor Learning on Campus
Lower‑school educators turned the school’s 800‑acre campus into a living classroom. Under the guidance of Josh Jones, Director of 800‑Acre Labs and Upper School science teacher, staff explored streams, woods, ponds and watersheds, designing interdisciplinary projects that will let students study ecology right where they live.
Performing Arts Refresh
Middle‑school teacher Suzanne Eldridge, a veteran of choir and drama, attended a Broadway Teachers Workshop in New York City. She returned with new techniques for coaching student performers, saying, “I came away with fresh energy and concrete tools I can bring directly into our productions, keeping my teaching alive for our students.”
These varied experiences—whether abroad, in archives or on the school’s own fields—demonstrate McDonogh’s commitment to continuous professional development. By investing in teachers, the school aims to enrich every classroom and nurture the next generation of learners in Baltimore.
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
