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As St. Louis U. High’s winter semester has drawn on, students may recall seeing a new addition to their classrooms as second-year teachers joined them in their learning. For one day, the select second-year teachers joined chosen students to shadow for a day, learning their schedules, and taking a glimpse into SLUH from the student side. Formally known as the pre-tenure formation programming, this program is done by all Jesuit schools, differing slightly at SLUH.

“Mr. (Jim) Linhares, who retired last year, was the one who really created and developed this program at SLUH,” said Assistant Principal for Activities and Formation Megan Menne. “He was the one who brought all of the pieces together.”

In their first year, faculty are considered New Ignatian Educators, where they are still learning what it means to be a teacher at an Ignatian school over the course of retreats, reflections, and conferences with academic and spiritual advisors here at SLUH. In their second year, the academic talks are continued, but included is the student teacher shadow day. Years three and four specialize in Jesuit education formation, where teachers learn what it means to be an educator at a Jesuit Institution. 

“It’s crucial in introducing teachers not only to SLUH and to a Jesuit school, but also to Ignatian spirituality and everything that goes along with that,” said Menne. “They might not have an idea of what that is when they first get here. When I got here, I had to learn along the way. The question we’re asking ourselves is ‘How do we introduce (Ignatian spirituality) more intentionally,’ to make sure that all of our teachers really understand the mission of SLUH by the time they’re tenured."

Their fifth and final year culminates in an Ignatian tenure project, where teachers research and complete a faith-based project resulting in attaining their tenure.

“Dr. Schaeperkoetter created his faith and science course, Mrs. Lewis did a pilgrimage throughout St. Louis to see different Catholic sites followed by a reflection. Once you’ve completed that, then you get tenured,” said Menne.

This year's second-year teachers were math teachers Fernando Alvear and Molly Kelly, science teacher Andrew Kresyman, and theology teacher Fr. Danny Tesvich, SJ, who are just on the beginning of their formation journeys at SLUH.

“The shadow program in particular comes from Strake Jesuit in Texas,” said Menne, “which is how we heard about it, through talking with them. Even though we borrowed it from someone else, we made it our own.”

The bond between teacher and student is strong, as teachers get to choose the student they shadow. Alvear chose sophomore Finn Rose, Kelly chose junior Micah Shaw, Kresyman chose junior David Justice, and Tesvich chose senior Joe Murphy.

“I followed Micah Shaw, I have him this year, and I had him last year, which is why I picked him,” said Kelly, whose shadow day was in November.

Even though the teachers select a student of their choosing, their shadow day still gives them a glimpse into the average day of any SLUH student.
“It helps us teachers understand what a SLUH student is going through,” said Kelly. “I followed my student to all of his classes, through the Activity Period, I went to lunch with him too. It’s all so that we can see the pressures they face, and get an idea of what these gentlemen are going through.”

Although the teachers do their own work with their student “hosts,” following their students all day allows them to live like a student again, if only for a day.

“I had a bit of deja vu really, because I went here,” said Kresyman. “I sat through an AP Physics class with Mr. Baudendistel again, I had US History with Mr. Bob O’Connell, which is a class I also took. It was fun to relive those days.”

The addition of an extra teacher to the classroom was a surprise for the student’s classmates, but the experience proved to surpass any initial awkwardness that students could feel.

“It was better than I expected. I expected people to see her and shut down but that’s not what happened at all,” said Shaw. “She was really a joy to be around, she didn’t intrude much on my routine, and she wasn’t forcing me to change who I was either.”

Although teachers and students live different lives, juggling sports practices or grading papers respectively, both parties could agree on one thing.

“I learned that students and teachers have it just as hard here. I would look over from my desk and see she was constantly grading work and finding things in her notes to teach us,” said Shaw. “We have to find a balance, students and teachers, for each to appreciate the other, and for them to see our perspective.”