This fall, Friends Select welcomed John Myers, an English Language Learners (ELL) specialist, to support and teach upper school students whose second language is English.
Before becoming an ELL teacher, John was a DJ and a banker, but when he was 35 years old, he decided to go to college for his true passion, education. “It was something I was born to do,” John said. Though he didn’t know what ELL teaching was at the time, he had always been interested in languages, culture, and helping people. John was an ELL teacher in New York for 20 years before moving to Philadelphia two years ago.
Through this journey, John has met many people from all different countries and has had the opportunity to learn their stories. ELL teaching allows John to stand up for and support all the students who may need help. He has made lifelong connections and still talks to his past students.
At Friends Select, John’s role includes small group meetings that offer personal and academic attention, support, and learning. John’s main goal in meetings is to go over any classwork students are struggling with. “Academic language is so much harder than simply talking to someone,” John said. With only a few students this year, John hopes to make a bigger impact by personalizing their experiences.
Friends Select’s welcoming community and Philly’s atmosphere played a big role in John’s decision to come work here. John lived most of his life in New York and describes Philly as a smaller New York that is full of culture. When John first heard about Friends Select through LinkedIn, he immediately decided to apply. The welcoming atmosphere and people at Friends Select drew him in. “I feel like this is the Trader Joe’s of schools, everyone is nice to me,” John said. This year, John is excited about getting to know his students and becoming a part of the community; he hopes to be his students’ biggest advocate.
Besides teaching, John has a wide range of interests and hobbies. He loves riding rollercoasters, going on hikes, and listening to music. John is a fan of comedies and scary movies, with his favorites including The Birdcage and Jaws. His favorite kind of food is Italian, especially meatballs, which he likes to cook for company.
John’s biggest inspiration is an ELL teacher who mentored him and taught him lessons he uses with his own students today. Recently, John has been reading a lot of texts by James Baldwin, whose books connect with one of John’s core beliefs: judging people by who they are, not what they are. Even though he describes himself as shy, “I am easy to talk to and have a talent for making people feel comfortable,” John said, which is something he hopes to bring to his time at Friends Select.
John looks forward to continuing his work at Friends Select and is excited about what the year has in store. One piece of advice he has for all students is, “Find a great way to balance life and work because when you’re out of school, you’re going to miss it.”
