An Interview with Ms. Glenn

Ms. Glenn is a science teacher at NRHS who teaches AP Environmental Science, marine science and earth science and gets her students thinking about environmental issues and the world around them. 

Lily Spertus Newman: My first question is very open. What are your passions?

Ms. Glenn: I would say one of my passions is studying nature—like being an amateur naturalist. I feel strongly about social justice. I enjoy organizing community events and just in terms of hobbies, I like yoga. I like to read, I like to garden.

Lily Spertus Newman: Those are pretty cool! Within that, or in general, are there like any accomplishments that you're most proud of?

Ms. Glenn: Hmm, that's a good question. I would say the thing that makes creates the most meaning in my life, is when people that I've interacted with, whether it's like former students or in any realm of my life express to me how my presence in their life has been a good influence on them—I think that's the thing that is the most meaningful for me. I mean, I have gotten some teaching awards and things like that, but that stuff doesn't matter as much as a heartfelt letter from a former student, for example. Teaching just like kind of an extension of how I feel about my role on the planet—to do positive things and to impact other people and the places around me in a positive way. Teaching allows me to do that, and when I get evidence that that's happening, that feels really good.

Lily Spertus Newman: That's awesome! What is your favorite thing about New Rochelle High School?

Ms. Glenn: There are two things, really. I'll say one is that the community of New Rochelle really represents a kind of a microcosm of the world—it's like people from a lot of places, different ethnic and religious backgrounds, people from different economic strata. I think it really represents a huge opportunity for kids from less advantaged backgrounds to kind of have access to some suburban resources that they might not have if they were in schools that were completely low income. I know that's not a very eloquent answer, but I think it's this place where everybody comes together and there's a lot of opportunity. I think for kids from more advantaged backgrounds, like the benefit of being a New Rochelle High School is that you're really exposed to a wider range of human experiences. I think it's a humanizing experience for everyone. The second thing I would say for what I teach—I like having a forest and a stream and ponds. This campus—which is leafy and suburban—it’s a nice place to do environmental science.

Lily Spertus Newman: So speaking of that, do you have a favorite class to teach?

Ms. Glenn: I like them all in different ways. So AP Environmental—there's a lot of content and real-world issues that I get to get into. I also meet a lot of really applied students and that's a really great opportunity. But I've also had some really meaningful experiences with Regents level classes or with my marine science classes. I like doing outdoor work with students and getting kids involved in bigger, long-term projects that kind of try to bring the real world into the classroom. 

Lily Spertus Newman: That's definitely true. So this is kind of a follow-up: do you think there's any good ways for students to get involved in science besides just taking science classes?

Ms. Glenn: To me, science is two things. It's like a body of knowledge that you can open up and read and explore, but it's also a way of looking at the world. I think that what happens is when kids are little, they have this natural curiosity about the way that the world works and they ask questions. If they're given an environment that answers these questions or gives them a chance to explore, they'll continue to be kind of natural scientists, their whole life. The problem is if kids shut down. It’s like if people tell them, “that's a stupid question,” or they don't have an answer or they give them wrong information—kids get turned off. I think the best way to get involved in science is just open your eyes and start to ask questions about the world around you.To me, science is not only an academic discipline—it's a way of making sense of the world. 

Lily Spertus Newman: How do you think the environment in which you were raised shaped you as a person or your choice to become a teacher and passion for science? 

Ms. Glenn: So I would say my first teacher in terms of getting me excited about nature and the outdoors was my dad. He's like a hunter, fisherman, gardener. We camped as a family, when I was young, and we drove across the country to visit national parks. I feel very comfortable with my hands in the dirt and in a tent, sleeping on the ground. In terms of teaching—I wanted to be a farmer or an activist, a labor organizer. Then I had this internship when I was 18 at an audubon center in Ohio and I taught about nature in a summer camp for kids. I had never been a camp counselor before and that was the first time I ever worked with kids. I really liked planning and organizing activities. I didn't realize then that I would end up being a teacher. I was never encouraged to be a teacher because I was a really good math and science student in the Detroit area. So it was like, “you should be an engineer and work for one of the car companies.” After I graduated from the University of Michigan with my undergrad degrees, I got a job running after school programs in Detroit for middle school kids. Then I decided to become a teacher; I moved to Florida to get emergency certification and went to graduate school for a degree in science education. When I walked into my first classroom teaching job, I hadn't been in a classroom since I was in school. You don’t know where life is going to take you, you know? 

Lily Spertus Newman: If you could give any piece of advice to your students, what would you say?

Ms. Glenn: Really try to figure out what makes you happy. You asked the question about passions—really try to discover what makes you feel fulfilled and gives you meaning. Try to create a life with as much of that in it as possible. 

Lily Spertus Newman: I like that answer! Is there one book, movie, or documentary that has changed the way you think about science or just about life in general?

Ms. Glenn: There are a lot of books that have influenced me and a lot of experiences that I would say have influenced me more than a particular text... I'm going to answer your question with an answer to a different question. In the summer between 10th and 11th grade I was recommended by my counselor or a teacher to apply for this summer program that was for gifted and talented kids in Michigan. I ended up at this program at Adrian College for two weeks. The whole focus of the two week workshop was the environment, which back then was a lot less topical of a topic than today. I remember we had choices of projects we wanted to work on—I did botany research with a science professor, which was pretty critical. I met vegetarians, I heard environmentalist speakers—I met kids, really. I had grown up like in a very homogeneous white working class suburb of Detroit. Here, I met people from all over the state with very different experiences and backgrounds, and one of the people that I met that summer is one of my best friends—we stayed close for 30 years. So I think that experience was so eye opening... That was when my world opened up.

Responses have been edited for clarity.