BASIS English teacher, Harvard Grad, reflects on his experience with the world-class network of schools

Working at BASIS has been one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have ever done.  At BASIS, students are interested in learning, willing to sacrifice parts of their lives to do the work, and it’s up to you to reward their rigor with insights into the world and themselves.  BASIS is a charter that does not charge tuition to its students or require a belief to attend. We provide a top notch education that rivals and often surpasses the most expensive of schools.  It’s very empirical in its model: teachers self-assess and reflect on their strengths and weaknesses.  It was ideal for me because I feel my colleagues are talented and that I am always passing the baton to someone who will build on what I have taught.  It is competitive but the AP exam allows the teacher to be a coach and collaborate with the students so that it’s clear that we are all trying to achieve the same end.  Lastly, I cannot even tell you the beauty of getting to know students like these.  Students have given me origami flowers as a wedding present, a scrapbook of moments that changed their lives at Speech and Debate tournaments, Masala cookbooks to try to get me to actually cook healthy food.  But most of the gifts you get are just a moment of silence, tears welled up and a quick, “I don’t know how to repay you.”  This is what makes teaching at BASIS wonderful!

• Luke Calhoun BASIS English teacher, Harvard Graduate