Dedham Retires a Legend

English teacher Kathleen Carten waved goodbye to DHS last June after 20 years of educating.

Carten, who was raised in Milton received her undergraduate degree in English from UMass Boston and her master’s in education from Fitchburg State University. During her time at DHS, Carten taught ELA for grades 9-12 as well as ESL and a Cooking and Sewing course. In addition, she advised the Writing Club, Book Club, Environmental Club, and the Peer Leaders program.

Carten says that her favorite thing to teach was American Literature, especially the new titles by authors of varying ethnicities and cultures introduced in the past few years. “While teaching The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye are great fun, authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Esmeralda Santiago, Joy Harjo, Sherman Alexie, and August Wilson add a new dimension to the curriculum and bring a world view to our students.”

When asked, "Why English?" Carten recalls the “Intro to Shakespeare” class she took during her sophomore year of college: “The teacher brought such excitement and enthusiasm to each class; the classroom was his stage where he performed soliloquies and monologues from Macbeth to Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet, and his students absolutely loved it. We laughed, we cried, and we learned to appreciate the beauty of Shakespeare's language. That experience triggered in me the desire to bring that same excitement and enthusiasm to others by teaching literature in a way that students could connect with."

What has kept her teaching after all these years? DHS students! Says Carten, “I find that the teen years are fascinating; it's a time when kids are discovering themselves and the larger world outside of Dedham. I always thought of my job as one in which I helped them learn to read critically, form well educated opinions on current topics, and write with clarity and substance."

Carten will miss many aspects of teaching, mostly her students who she looked forward to getting to know each year, watching them grow and learn. While she leaves DHS with many great memories, one she will always hold dear is when one of her sophomore classes found out it was her birthday and threw a surprise party complete with gifts and a cake. Having spent 20 years here at DHS, Carten has seen it all, including in 2000 when former principal, Alan Winrow, rode his motorcycle into the auditorium packed with students and staff for an assembly.

What Carten is going to miss the least about teaching is grading assignments at night and on the weekends, as creating engaging and exciting lessons everyday and grading essays requiring individual comments each can be overwhelming. “English teachers are so fortunate to be teachers of writing and literature where students can express themselves and their ideas, but it is quite time consuming,” she says. In retirement, Carten hopes to dictate her own schedule from now on and even try something new.

Since last June, she has been enjoying waking up naturally, reading the news, taking walks, experimenting with new recipes, trying her hand at crocheting, and enjoying great novels, currently, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. She has also been having a lot of fun with her new granddaughter, Margaret Claire, born in August. Next year, Carten plans to attend her daughter’s wedding in London and travel cross country. Eventually, she plans to visit Spain, Ireland, and Greece.

To Carten, the most valuable aspect of teaching has been all that she has learned from her students. She says, “Although my subject matter is my expertise, my students taught me life lessons in perseverance and resilience every day." In fact, she even remains in touch with past students, enjoying coffee, lunch, and dinner with a few on occasion. She hopes to have left them knowing how to locate relevant information online and how to be confident in their opinions while respecting those of others.

To current or aspiring teachers, Carten’s advice is to enjoy it and never take yourself too seriously. Being able to look back and laugh at yourself is key. According to DHS senior Sophia MacKinnon, “Mrs. Carten’s room was always a positive, safe environment for students to learn and have fun."

Fellow English teacher, Mr. Nilsen, adds, "She was the best teacher I've ever seen in my 18 years as an educator. I've never known another teacher who was able to strike the perfect balance of content and engagement so effortlessly. She's already a legend, and she is irreplaceable."