By Mary Mason Ingold

Garnett on a field trip with her students. 

Collegiate 4th Grade teacher Heather Garnett distinctly remembers that, even in her adolescence, “I always knew I would work with kids and like being around other people.” Garnett grew up near Philadelphia and has always loved working with children. In an interview for The Match, she said, “I was known as the babysitter on the block” and was constantly getting involved with her community and the children around her. 

Whether it was supervising swimming lessons in the summer or babysitting, she was always with children. Garnett felt so strongly about this belief, she wrote her college essay on the topic. She raved about her strength of being a “people person” and was accepted into The University of Richmond, where she decided to pursue education and international studies.

One summer during college Garnett participated in an internship working for the International Olympic Committee. She remarked that “this experience was the turning point in my career.” Her job at the time consisted of translating different languages, such as Spanish into English. It was a quick-paced job, yet Garnett became lonely and bored with the itinerary. Each day she completed a checklist, and being stuck at a desk job was unamusing for her. She yearned for a job where she could be immersed with others, so she shifted her focus toward teaching.

Garnett’s first job as a new teacher was at Hopkins Road Elementary School, in Chesterfield, and she worked there for seven years. She did not begin working for Collegiate until 2002, when current Athletic Director Andrew Stanley, a close friend of hers, introduced her to the private school. Looking back after 23 years on North Mooreland Road, Garnett emphasized the differences between teaching at a public versus a private school. 

In Chesterfield, she was a mentor teacher and stated that “a lot of those children came to school to be cared for. They came to have a community, and stability in their lives.” 

Garnett with her current 4th Graders from the class of 2033.

Originally, Garnett was hesitant to make the move from public to private school. She is such an advocate for public education, and at Collegiate, “most students here are already loved at home.” Garnett said it can be easy to forget the variety of resources Collegiate provides to support us as students. When she first started teaching at Collegiate, she was “surprised by the amount of opportunities that were available,” not just for students, but for everyone.

Nevertheless, teaching anywhere has its challenges. Before becoming a teacher, she assumed that teaching every day would have an “end goal.” She quickly realized that “when you teach, there is never an ending. You could always be doing something, like researching an event, grading a set of papers, looking through journals, the list goes on. You are constantly having to prioritize what is most helpful for your students.” Garnett manages all of that for multiple groups and classes. In general, Lower School teachers are responsible for not just teaching one subject, but most core academic subjects 

When discussing the pros and cons of teaching, Garnett said that balancing each subject for her students is difficult, and “the worst part is learning to shut it down for the day.” 

Every year, Garnett welcomes a new group of students to her classroom , and has “to learn how to cope with each individual’s needs.” Trying to figure out different ways to support these children with different personalities and strengths is a puzzle, and “on top of that, you are having to also support them as an entire class—to anchor in a sense of community for them.” 

Balancing the dynamics of children is a select skill that Garnett beautifully exhibits, and Garnett thinks that it also one of the best gifts teaching has given her. She discovers different ways to help all the time. She says “that experience is what motivates me to keep teaching.” Without any challenge, she would not be able to grow as a teacher either.

During her very first year at Collegiate, an introverted little boy was in her class, and she suggested him to speak at the “Moving Up” ceremony at the end of the year, when 4th Graders are celebrated for finishing Lower School and “moving up” across the bridge to the Middle School. She wanted to push him outside of his comfort zone. Garnett said, “he did not want to do it. His parents and myself tried helping him practice, but he was just so nervous to speak in front of everyone.”

Garnett’s 2016-2017 4th Graders from the class of 2025.

After he had given the speech, Garnett understood the need for perspective. The little boy kept his eyes down and was in his own little world but calmly told Garnett, “If you had just told me that I’d have so many people to look at, then I would have done it before.” It was then that Garnett had realized her mistake.”I pushed him only in one way, not the other,” she commented. Garnett says she wished she had pushed him in a more positive direction, and not just as something to overcome with fear. Moments like these are the most memorable for her, because they help her grow as a teacher and as a person. When teaching her students, she always aims to consider as many perspectives as possible when guiding them.

As her former student, I considered it a privilege to catch up with her in the classroom now. I am forever thankful for all the opportunities and support she gave me during my 4th Grade year. Having viewed her teaching first hand, it is evident that Garnett thrives helping others, and her passion for the job is touching. She is a wonderful example of what it means to be a teacher, not just for a career, but for humanity.

All photos courtesy of Heather Garnett.