ON-SITE TEACHER
Nat Damon
Mr. Nat Damon Nat Damon is a 25-year educator who has taught English to Middle School and High School students in Boston and Los Angeles. Nat received his M.A. from The Breadloaf School of English at Middlebury College, and he has published two books: Time to Teach, Time to Reach: Expert Teachers Give Voice to the Power of Relational Teaching (2018, Relational Schools Foundation) and True Colors in My Ordinary World (2020, Silverwood Books). Nat sits on the Board of Directors of both Soho Parish Primary School (London, UK) and Connecticut College (his alma mater). As founder of Reach Academics, LLC, and Reach Academy for Young Men, Nat is excited to put relational teaching into practice this summer!
Nat has worked at Harvard-Westlake School, Sierra Canyon School, The John Thomas Dye School, and The Archer School for Girls.
My Courses
Great Literature by Great Writers (Grades: All)
What makes writing “great”? How do writers capture the broad expanse of identity in their characters? Can a male writer create believable female characters, and vice versa? What are some of the great short stories and poetry by writers from US and the world? Why did some great female writers go by a male “nom de plume”, and what does that say about society at the time? In this course, we will analyze, and appreciate some of the great short-short works of literature written by great authors. Our goal is not only appreciation, but also permission to write our own great stories through the mighty pen.
Know Thyself: The Personal Statement (Grades: All)
Socrates famously called upon every man to “Know Thyself”...but how? In today’s world, the personal narrative (“our truth”) is king. Whether it’s a TED Talk or a Vanity Fair profile, every time we share our autobiography, we add a style (or a “spin”). This course teaches us about how we present ourselves through the written word. We all have lived experiences that deserve re-discovery. The world wants to know about them — whether in your secondary school or college application, or in your job interview. How you tell your story becomes your currency. Let’s build up our accounts and end the course with a personal narrative - written, polished and “true”— that you will be proud to share.