COMMON GROUNDING THE IMPACT OF A CATHEDRAL EDUCATION ON ALUMNI TEACHERS IN THEIR OWN CLASSROOMS AND STUDENTS’ LIVES
BY MEGAN PICKETT WYMAN (Thorne ’23)
Early teaching days for Peter Getz
Ross Dillon engaging young imaginations
Whether academic stars or struggling students, many of us can remember vividly that one teacher who made all the difference. For CSB alums who found their career path leading them into a classroom, the life lessons instilled in them during their formative years at Cathedral School for Boys—and the teachers who profoundly influenced them—have had ripple effects in their own careers.
A world history teacher at Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California, Ross Dillon ’00 is the consummate life-long student, having traveled the world, taught in myriad schools from New England to Singapore after graduating from Bennington College with a combined BA/ Masters degree in teaching, and read both Western and Eastern classics to better inform his students and bring the humanity of history to life. “It makes me a better history teacher,” he says of his global outlook. “It’s nice when I can incorporate my experiences in the classroom and share stories of travel.”
Ross packs his lesson plans with primary sources and hands-on activities (for example, making stone tools while studying the Stone Age or building structures when studying ancient archi- tecture) so that his students can experience the livelihood of another culture in another era. “I think there is an intrinsic interest in how people live and live differently, how the world ended up this way rather accidentally,” he says of his middle school students. “I get the most reward out of teaching world history because it requires students to step outside of themselves. It’s the best venue for developing empathy and
6 | CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
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