English teacher Jane Graham, in her 21st year on the Woodward Academy faculty, is also the mom of an alumnus. Graham previously worked for 10 years at a public high school in College Park.
“Kids are kids. They all come with different sets of problems,” she said about similarities between the jobs. “Here at Woodward, they are more goal-oriented.”
Graham is appreciative of career-expanding and waist-reducing opportunities at Woodward.
Career-expanding: On the academy’s dime, she has journeyed to other schools and workshops near and far as part of its continuing education program.
Waist-reducing: She has participated in “boot camp,” the physical fitness program offered gratis on campus at 5:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. most school days.
Graham elaborates on why she happily began her third decade at Woodward this school year.
Q. What do you most like about working at the academy?
A. You have the ability to get really close to not only students, but to colleagues. It has a very supportive group of professionals. ... I don’t think I could create a better environment than what I have. We have a great student body. They are respectful. They appreciate the fact they are here.
Q. What “perk” have you taken advantage of?
A. I have traveled to our sister schools in Australia and Venezuela, to Oxford in England, to New York City. I’ve grown as an educator. I’ve grown as a person. To travel the world like I have ... Woodward Academy is extremely supportive of teachers continuing to learn and to develop as educators.
Q. What are some examples of your travel experiences?
A. The three weeks that I spent taking a summer class on film at New York University definitely helped me to restructure the English/drama class that I was teaching and that I currently teach. I can honestly say that the experience at NYU was life-changing both professionally and personally for this Georgia girl. I found the study of film to be absolutely fascinating, and much of what we studied is now a part of the class that I teach.
Woodward has a teacher-exchange program with the Pittwater House School in Collaroy, Australia, near Sydney. We have been sending a teacher and have been receiving a teacher from Pittwater annually since the early ’90s. The [weeklong] visit is more of a cultural exchange to provide the participants the opportunity to make connections with fellow professionals and to share our respective cultures.
Three other teachers from Woodward and I visited Venezuela last year at our sister schools and to participate in a conference for teachers who teach in International Schools. Teachers from these sister schools, in turn, visited Woodward for approximately a week.
I spent three weeks at Oxford University [in England] as a chaperone for high school students who were studying at St. Hugh’s College. The workshops, field trips, lectures and just being in Oxford made the British literature that I have studied throughout my academic career come to life.
Q. How do you get these opportunities?
A. There is an application process for conferences and continuing education classes. Teachers who wish to attend conferences and take classes submit a proposal to their respective principals. I have not been turned down when I have requested funding for conferences or classes.
Q. Any other opportunities that Woodward has provided you?
A. I was approached to be a Peer Leadership coordinator in 1991, and I have been involved in the program ever since. Being involved with our peer leaders has definitely enriched my time at Woodward. I get to work with some of the strongest student leaders and some of the nicest students, who have all dedicated themselves to becoming mentors.
Q. And you still have time to attend the fitness classes?
A. Boot camp is awesome. I feel much better and have lost weight. I never thought that I would be accomplishing activities with names such as bear crawls, crab walks, planks and burpees.
We have a combination of ages and ability levels, but we feel like some sort of team as we cheer on our fellow boot campers, even through the groans. When I began in November, I was not able to complete a push-up or a sit-up. [Recently] I completed 70 push-ups and 80 sit-ups. The exercise and this new-found energy have changed my life.
Q. If you were in charge, what would you change at Woodward?
A. [Smiling] They don’t give us dessert as often anymore. [Lunches are free for faculty and staff.]
