Welcome to the Upper School

A Message from the Director

I began teaching in January, 1969. I know I selected the “correct” vocation and avocation. Over the years, I regularly am asked some variant of the question, “What do you like best about your job?”

My usual rejoinder begins with a broad response (“… every aspect and every day is fun, engaging, rewarding, challenging, interesting, and worthwhile because I’m on a wonderful campus with great colleagues…”) but then I move to the true heart and soul of the answer (“…but my favorite part is that I really like to teach and I really love the students …”).

Most of my colleagues have similar feelings: teachers are a passionate lot who not only are drawn to their individual subject areas, but also feel compelled to share their passion with students. For us, September is a time of positive anticipation. It’s an opportunity to begin again with a new group of students to help foster all aspects of their scholastic development. We as teachers may get older (er, more seasoned and experienced), but in September our students are always forever young -- fresh and new to the year ahead which we will be sharing with them.

It’s both exciting and somewhat daunting to know that our task is to educate this “new crop” to become not only more knowledgeable in a subject matter, but also how to become better learners, and indeed better people. In biology I teach about the complex interdependency of living systems at all organization levels from the cell to the biosphere. This concept projects a life lesson: nothing stands alone; every action has its consequences. Both the affective and cognitive knowledge students acquire in school will provide foundations on which they make many of their subsequent political, economic, societal, and ethical decisions.

Effective teachers are optimists whose hopes for each student always spring eternal. We, as teachers, are excited about our individual and collective “investment” in our students. Those feelings are deeply reaffirmed when we see former students in person, or read about them in an alumni newsletter, and then remember that we may have had some positive influence on the growth of each. Not too long ago I had an email from a former student that underscored that a teacher’s impact can extend well beyond any given academic year. This individual wrote to me, but I think his sentiments can be applied to any of us who are truly called to teaching: “I have fond memories … and certainly consider you to be the most influential teacher/mentor I ever had. … My [13-year old] son… is having a very difficult time in public school. I often wish he had a teacher like Dave Hoyler who could help focus his passion and enthusiasm.”

Teachers can have a lasting impact. At Portledge, I’m proud to say, we have a top-notch group of educators who are eager to begin the new year with your children. For more information about our Upper School Curriculum, click here.

David Hoyler
Director, Middle and Upper School
September, 2007