Peddling down the Wissahickon trail with the shining warm sun out and coming home to see a nice ready home cooked meal for dinner, to then cuddle up with a Maggie Smith poetry book is the dream evening after school for Mrs. Megan Schmidt. The 11th grade 6.0 English and AP Seminar teacher’s kind heart and positive outlook radiates into her classroom. From management consultant, to high school teacher, Schmidt has seen it all.
“I was a management consultant…I’ve taught every grade 7 through 12,” Schmidt explained.
AP Seminar is a rigorous college-level course that students may find stressful. Schmidt is able to reduce that stress by aiding her students in understanding the process of synthesizing sources, crafting an argument, and much more in her two sections of AP Seminar that she teaches this school year.
“I love watching students get it. Being able to understand what the whole purpose of being able to synthesize sources is. And then being able to communicate it clear and well,” Schmidt said.
Rigorous classes teach students necessary and important skills, and when teaching these tricky new skills to students it takes a kind and joyful person like Schmidt. Teaching is something that is supposed to be a supportive and learning experience, and Schmidt takes it to the next level.
“I try to be as joyful and positive as I can even when I know students will struggle with what we’re doing. Which is also my approach to life in general,” Schmidt stated.
Her current AP Seminar student’s see her efforts to be positive and joyful everyday and it’s what makes her and her class a favorite.
“Mrs. Schmidt is extremely optimistic and is always very open to new ideas,” North Penn sophomore Sarah Smith explained
“I love Mrs. Schmidt so much. She’s one of the best teachers I’ve had at NPHS and just seeing her face everyday just truly makes my day,” North Penn sophomore Shreya Desai said.
Hearing back about the value of AP Seminar has to be one of Schmidt’s favorite parts about teaching the course.
“I have students almost every year either email me or come back and tell me how valuable [taking AP Seminar] was. So with all those group projects in college they hit the ground running because they knew exactly what they needed to do,” Schmidt described.
Schmidt’s years as a part of North Penn staff have taught her what her rhythm and balance is as a teacher. Knowing she only grades while in the building and taking time for herself walking her dog, Fred are lessons she’s learned while growing in the North Penn community.
“I do try to leave work here… In terms of grading I only do it here, and that helps. Having my goldendoodle Fred…helps me keep balance because I have to be outside every day, no matter the weather, and that is very cleansing,” Schmidt stated.
If you haven’t had the amazing privilege of having Schmidt as a teacher, I hope one day you can call K126 your home with her, who will always make you smile and be supportive.
