Flint Hill’s education department is full of passionate, hardworking teachers. They love what they teach and deserve every bit of recognition. I had the pleasure of interviewing one of Flint Hill’s driven teachers, Elizabeth Anderson. She teaches United States History and Social Studies at Flint Hill and is a MUN Advisor. During my interview, I was able to hear about Mrs. Anderson’s educational background, how she got to where she is today, and her teaching ethics.
Mrs. Anderson’s educational background started with a summer program at Georgetown University during her junior year of high school. From there, she learned about Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and immediately knew she wanted to attend there. Her main interests were history, international relations, and government-oriented classes. She loved these subjects, leading her to graduate with a soviet studies degree. After college, Mrs. Anderson got married and was ready to continue her career. She went to work for the National Security Agency and soon after returned to Georgetown for her master’s degree in International Relations, specializing in Intelligence Studies. With her daughters being born, Mrs. Anderson considered teaching as the next step in her career. Both her parents had been educators, so Mrs. Anderson’s love for teaching came naturally. Her father was a professor in Aerospace Engineering, and her mother was an educator at Stone Ridge. After Mrs. Anderson was offered a position at Stone Ridge, her teaching career began.
When asked about her teaching style, Mrs. Anderson responded, “Well, you should probably ask my students,” explaining that those she teaches would understand her style more than anyone. She elaborates on how her methods have evolved through her years of experience, from old-fashioned lectures to a diverse classroom filled with many different components. Mrs. Anderson ensures that no matter what she is teaching, she will never just say information to a student but ensure that they can understand it and analyze it. She says, “History is just one big investigation that you can dive into.” During my interview, Mrs. Anderson did not fall short of letting me know how much she enjoys what she teaches. This past summer, for example, Mrs. Anderson spent three weeks in Chicago studying various U.S. history topics, specifically The Gilded Age. What she loved about this was her ability to learn. “The real reason I love being a teacher is it pays me to be a student. I am always learning new things and get so excited when I can bring it back and teach it.” Her favorite topics to teach are both the Gilded Age and the Cold War. She finds that understanding U.S. history is necessary in order to understand current events, and that should always be the goal for history teachers. Mrs. Anderson truly loves what she teaches and the students she is able to educate. Her background does not fall short of exciting, and she continues to impress Flint Hill with her character.
