What it Takes To Be a MX Teacher

At Middlesex, becoming a teacher requires more than a degree or good interview. One has to be ready to take on the multi-dimensional process and responsibilities that Middlesex requires.

During my first few days at Middlesex, I found myself overwhelmed by the many changes from my prior school: My classes were much smaller; I was required to download this weird app called REACH; I was sharing a room with a girl I barely knew; and, most surprisingly, the teachers genuinely seemed to care. 

This isn’t to say the teachers at my old school weren’t hardworking, but the faculty here was different. Their eyes lit up when they started describing a certain topic, engagement ebbed throughout the classrooms, and they invoked true passion in me. It puzzled me how Middlesex could find someone who spoke so eagerly and excitedly about Gilgamesh. The process of hiring a teacher, as I learned in my research, is no easy feat. The truth is, it takes a lot to be a good teacher at Middlesex. 

When it is time to hire someone new, Middlesex wastes no time in publishing job descriptions and applications in many agencies, assuring that a variety of candidates receive equal opportunities. The countless resumes are then deliberately looked over in an extensive vetting process, including background research and character assessment. The refined list of candidates is then met with a 30 minute conversation with a department head, and after another screening, a ZOOM meeting involving the DEI office and Dean's office. If candidates remain under consideration, the finalists will come to campus and immerse themselves in the Middlesex community—teaching a class, eating lunch with faculty, and spending time with people in their department. The hiring committee wants not only to love the candidate, but also to ensure the feeling is mutual, guaranteeing that the candidate can envision a future at Middlesex. Once this rigorous process is completed, Middlesex is destined to have the perfect new teacher. 

But what makes someone perfect for Middlesex? What qualities stand out during these various interviews—qualities that make an interviewer go, that's the one? To find the “very very best,” as Karlyn McNall states, one must have a passion for a single subject, but also “love sharing that with students.” Furthermore, Karlyn recognizes the importance of enthusiasm in candidates, which is necessary for teaching overworked and occasionally unmotivated students. 

It is also critical for teachers to carry a strong work ethic. Karlyn emphasizes that teachers “have to sometimes be willing to do things they don’t feel like doing:” taking advisees to lunch, comforting a melancholy student in the dorm, coaching an unfamiliar sport, and constantly being ready to take on new roles. All of these things are only a fraction of the work teachers must be willing to do outside the classroom. As Dr. Wetzel, Dean of Hiring states, “some people want to go to a job and clock out at 3:30—teachers who are interested in Middlesex don’t.” Being a teacher at Middlesex is not just about being well educated; it's being generous, flexible and enthusiastic.  

Similar to the Middlesex ideals, I feel that being a teacher is not about fitting into a certain criteria, it’s about wanting what’s best for their students. My favorite teacher I have ever had was my second grade teacher Ms. Higgins. As an awkward and quiet second grader, I found comfort in her loving hugs and silly stories. I can still vividly remember her reminding my fellow classmates and me how special and smart each of us were, moments that instilled in me an absolute adoration for her.

My second favorite teacher I have had was my 8th grade Spanish teacher, Senora Assadoorian. Infamously known for her strict ‘NO TALKING’ policy, Sra. Assadoorian pushed me harder than she did other students, at times leaving me in tears as I walked out of her classroom. She was strict, tough, and as I initially thought, mean. However, the rigorousness of her class led me to develop a deep respect and admiration for her. I ended up learning more than I ever had—an immensely rewarding feeling. Although Ms. Higgins and Sra. Assadoorian’s teaching styles were quite different, they both worked incredibly hard and attentively to ensure I learned as much as possible. 

Evidently, not all teachers are the same, and it is incredibly hard to find the right ones. But, the thoroughness and attention put into the faculty hiring process make it easy to find teachers that encourage, excite, care and imagine: the ones that make Middlesex feel so special.

image from: MX Website

Minna Felago '28