English Teacher
Germantown Academy English Teacher, Ms. Graffam will be taking a sabbatical during the second semester to study and continue expanding her writing works. A sabbatical is an opportunity to take some time away from work to pursue another project or interest. It’s designed to let teachers explore their area of study or creative work that will add to their knowledge or understanding of their subject, or will provide time to do something meaningful.
“I’m taking some time to pursue my own writing, especially playwriting, but possibly also fiction, which I’ve done for a long time. I decided taking this time was important because although I do write in the summer and when I can snatch a few minutes here and there during the school year, the reality is that I’m too busy and distracted to do the kind of work I really want to. I’m hoping the luxury of just focusing on one thing, without distractions or interruptions, will allow me to do better, more meaningful work than when I have to drop everything in September, and then figure out what I was working on again in June. I’m excited about having the time to take on some more ambitious projects than I’ve tried up until now, and I’m hoping I’ll feel like I’ve grown as a writer after a period of focus and hard work. Writing is something that’s always challenging, and there’s always more to learn, and I’m looking forward to all of it. These kinds of opportunities are so important for teachers! We work hard learning our disciplines and thinking about how to communicate with and connect with students, but stepping away to be a student again, and to invest in our own creative and intellectual lives is essential to making us better teachers. It offers time that we rarely get in the hectic day-to-day of the school year to think and reflect, and to recharge our mental and emotional batteries so we’re ready and excited to work with students again afterward, bringing new insights and new ideas along with us that we’re eager to share.”
Written by Jenna Rothenstein ‘21