Jeff has joined Carolina Friends as head teacher in the Upper School. Jeff comes to us from University School of Nashville, where he served as assistant head for academics.
Please join us in welcoming Jeff Edmonds. He holds a PhD in philosophy from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he focused on the philosophy of education of John Dewey and William James, and a BA in philosophy with a minor in physics from Williams College. He is both an experienced classroom teacher and deeply relational and collaborative leader. In each stage of the hiring process, Jeff’s deeply held values around professional growth and the pursuit of learning shone through.
What is one of your favorite teaching moments?
In my physics classes, I have loved going out onto the roof of the school to launch objects. There is something deep in us that loves to watch things fall from great heights. It was always interesting to see how the data determining the height of buildings compared with student estimates. In philosophy, I have loved watching and hearing the students read aloud Aristotle, Descartes, or Dewey to each other. I love when ideas—old and new—fill the air and the classroom transforms into a place of wonder and curiosity.