“What makes a great Speyer teacher?” It is a question often asked, and we recently posed it to one of our first grade teachers, Samantha Gabrielli. Among other insights, she noted, “The Speyer teacher makes sure everyone gets what they need, academically and socially, in order to reach their potential. They let great ideas flourish and are constantly reflecting and refining, while teaching students to do the same…when you see how accelerated students thrive in an environment that balances freedom and guidance, you see the purpose in being fearless.”

But how do our teachers know how to do this? By being students themselves. Our teachers are just as curious and passionate as the children in their classroom. Over the summer, our faculty used their time away from Speyer learning – exploring new skills, examining classroom practices, and talking with experts, many specifically in the field of gifted education. Each of them brought what they learned back to Speyer, sharing with their fellow faculty members what they discovered. Wondering what they learned? Read on for more details!