English (HS)

As a high school student, Sue Schwartz was restless to find connections between what happened in her classes and the “real world,” so when she decided to become an English teacher, her hope was to make this connection as clear as possible for her students. It was a stroke of luck for Sue that New Roots—with its focus on social justice, community-based education, and education for sustainability—happened to be hiring the same year she earned her Masters in the Art of Teaching degree. Sue was thrilled to join the team in the school’s second year, and has been happily teaching here ever since.

Sue believes that reading and writing are the fundamental ways we converse with the world and with ourselves. Her favorite times as a teacher have been when this conversation happens in her classroom. When students make new discoveries about their ideas, feelings or abilities by developing a piece of their own writing, when they uncover new insights in a piece of literature, when they reflect on a new experience they’ve had as a result of going out into the community with our class, and when they step up to the microphone to perform an original spoken word piece: all of these make her glad she is a teacher. Sue aims to give students the tools and the inspiration to converse with the world and with themselves through reading, writing, and creativity.

Sue is an Ithaca native who feels tremendous gratitude for the community and land that has raised and nourished her throughout her life. She is the mother of an elementary-schooler whom she is raising with her wonderful husband, and fellow New Roots team member, David Streib. Nature, friendship and time for reflection are three things Sue cannot live without; reading, writing, live music, and chocolate are pretty essential as well.

Email: sschwartz@newrootsschool.org