Our accomplished and committed faculty and directors possess a wealth of expertise, with formal training in education, arts, and sciences; a rich variety of experience in fields other than education; and years of dedicated teaching. They regularly attend conferences, publish research, receive training in current educational methods, teach seminars, and participate in educational innovation and collaboration at the local, national, and international level.

Please click on the links above for information on individual faculty members.

From the Teacher’s Point of View: On the Nature of Learning and Teaching at Sabot at Stony Point

I came to Stony Point in August 2006 as a traditional (more or less) middle school English teacher. After just two years at what is now known as Sabot at Stony Point, I have witnessed exciting, at times mind-boggling (for this “old” teacher), changes in education. The bulk of my 20+ years in education has been devoted to middle school students, an age I find intriguing, challenging, frustrating, and beyond wonderful. Luckily, the majority of my past teaching experiences has allowed me and my students to stretch and tweak traditional norms of the curriculum. At Sabot at Stony Point, I find we can do that and more.

I find myself changing – a lot – as a teacher / learner. This is terrifically exciting . . . and a little intimidating. THAT, however, is good – the thrill of a challenge keeps me fresh and keeps my students fresh (hopefully; we work at this together). Thanks to an immensely supportive school director Irene Carney and encouraging fellow teachers, students and I experimented beautifully this past year with the reader / writer workshop model, inspired by Nancie Atwell. The learning – real learning – as we discover, never stops – for any of us.

– Ellen Ball, Middle School English, U.S. History

Students at Sabot at Stony Point are empowered to reach their potential as learners, members of a community, problem solvers and creative thinkers. It is an environment where children take risks in their academic and social development and are stretched by their desire to satisfy their curiosity about their environment and answer their questions and wonderment.

I was an elementary teacher in Virginia public schools for ten years and later implemented a state model referred to as the Instructional Support Team. This model offered support for educators as they differentiated their teaching to meet the needs of all students. I have also led meetings for Virginian IST teachers at the Department of Education. These opportunities provided insight and resources for teachers as they considered diversity in the classroom, assessing what students know rather than what they don’t know and respecting ALL children as capable learners.

Despite my considerable experiences, my last two years as an educator at Sabot at Stony Point have changed my perspective on teaching and the way I perceive my role with children. I now hold beliefs that cannot be compromised in my present or future days working with children.

Co-constucting with students creates a momentum and an excitement that is palpable. As teachers, we think of ways to provoke more learning or entice additional questions. We observe and document, making the learning that has occurred visible to the children so decisions can be made regarding the direction of future research or exploration. I never have a feeling that I am dragging children through a mandated curriculum. I never have to generate excitement or turn the students on to an idea.

I have come to understand more about the impact of collaboration from watching my students collaborate with each other, a tenet of our classrooms. Our students use language that creates a shared vision for project work. They listen to each other, consider the perspectives of their peers, debate differing hypothesis, build on each other’s knowledge and then finally make decisions collectively. It is inspiring and often humbling to watch the skills that these children have acquired as 6 and 7 year olds.

As a faculty member, I am now committed to the integration of arts and creative expression in all aspects of our day and curriculum. I have watched as young children represent their ideas and their interpretation of the world using drama, music, sketching, painting, work with clay, and other mediums. The faculty values the creative intentions of students and provides time to explore materials and resources. This type of work generates a flexibility of thought and opportunities for problem solving that I have rarely seen in a classroom.

One of the most unique parts of my work at Sabot is my role as a teacher-researcher. My colleagues and I pursue questions regarding our approach to teaching, the social and academic development of our students and our intentions for study. We hypothesize, observe, document, read and discuss national and international research and then finally reflect collaboratively and make decisions based on the information we have gathered. I feel respected and trusted as a professional. This respect and trust renews my commitment and focus to our program and the families that attend our school.

– Mary Driebe, Lower School Faculty