Quinn Menchetti

Previous work experience: GEMS World Academy Chicago

What should students know about your style of teaching?

“I try to bring humor and joy into the classroom. I try to keep my students relaxed ’cause I think that’s when they do their best work. I’m also very, very committed to making sure my students feel seen and heard for who they are in my classroom and I also think one of my philosophies as a teacher is to get students thinking about big issues and big problems as early as possible. I think you all are capable and ready to think about and to try to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems, and I want to give students a chance to think through those things.”

What do you hope your students will say about you and your class at the end of the year?

“I hope students will say firstly that they had fun. But I also hope that every one of my students is able to accomplish something that they didn’t think they could. A lot of that is goal setting, so I really work hard with kids to help them set goals for themselves and when I am lucky enough to see a kid achieve one of those goals, that’s my favorite part of teaching.” 

What are some interests/hobbies you have outside teaching? 

“I’m a lifelong Chicagoan and I love this city, so I spend a lot of my time in Lake Michigan swimming and on the lakefront path. I also spent time in my early 20s doing improv comedy performances. I’m a drummer. I love music and I have a liberal arts background and I try to live that out and have a balanced life.”