Liz Moore joined the Trinity-Pawling English Department at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. A graduate of St. Anselm College and Clark University, she spent her first two years teaching through an Americorps fellowship at the Nativity School of Worcester. Now in her first year at Trinity-Pawling, Moore teaches English and English Honors to students in grades 9-11, is the faculty advisor of the Debate Club and the Trading Cards Club, and is actively involved in the Student Senate. On the athletic field, she coaches varsity track and field and JV basketball. A quintessential boarding school “triple threat” (teacher, coach, and dorm parent), Moore’s compassionate, can-do spirit continues to enrich campus life for all members of the Pride.
When did you first know you wanted to be a teacher?
I didn’t know I wanted to be a teacher until after college. I accepted a teaching fellowship through Americorps that allowed me to teach for two years at the Nativity School of Worcester. It was there that I fell in love with teaching. The feeling you get when a student finally grasps a challenging concept or tackles a difficult project is indescribable.
How would you describe your teaching style?
It’s very active and hands-on. I incorporate games and activities wherever possible. While we do a lot of reading and writing, I use a student-driven approach to review content and to prepare for exams. I also try to vary the way that students learn: independently, partners, groups, or whole-class.
Any standout projects you’ve worked on with your students this year?
I love any moments in my class that bring my students joy. In English 1 this year, we played a campus-wide game of Assassin using clothespins to simulate the distrust of wartime, similar to that felt by the main characters in Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone. In English 1 Honors, students learned about enlightenment by reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. One of the ways to get closer to enlightenment is to learn from others, so students were tasked with interviewing someone they admire and learning about how they live their lives. In English 3 Honors, students worked through an escape room after reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. They put together multiple elements of the novel in an active way.
What is your favorite aspect of living and working at Trinity-Pawling?
My favorite part about life here at Trinity-Pawling is that I have the opportunity to know my students as more than scholars. I see them on the athletic fields, at meals, and in the dorms. I’ve found that getting to know the boys in these various capacities has helped me better teach and advise them as their educator and dorm parent. I know them very well.
What are you most looking forward to about the Spring Term on campus?
The many school traditions that are coming up that I will get to experience for the first time! While it is bittersweet, I know that Stepping Up will be a day that I won’t forget. I’m very proud of the seniors and I can’t wait to celebrate their accomplishments. I’m also looking forward to warm weather and getting to spend time outside with my coworkers and students! I was the KanJam champion in the fall, so I’m excited to reclaim that title.
by Emma Quigley