Sergios Paschalis teaches Latin.

How do you like teaching at the high school level versus the college level?

I find teaching high school students more challenging and more rewarding than college students because it’s harder to get their attention and keep it. I found that the high school students are the most excited about the material, and I really love their energy, and how passionate they are about the material. They’re more demanding than college students. I also really enjoy the warm community in general because it’s like a family a little bit, whereas in college, professors tend to shut themselves up in their offices. Here it’s like, if you have issues, if you need any help, if you need advice, both the faculty and the staff are really welcoming and helpful.

How did you get into teaching and what influenced your love of teaching?

I think the first seeds were planted in high school; I had some great teachers, but I think the really eye opening experience was college. I did my Bachelors at the University of Creed, where I really enjoyed writing seminar papers and exploring Greek tragedy, ancient Greek music, and Latin love poetry. The fact that I could do my own independent research in college and have great teachers excited my passion even further.

What affected your choice to teach at St. John’s after teaching at Harvard?

What I love here is the fact that it’s a very tight knit and warm community. I love the student life beyond classes. I love that the students are invited to cultivate their interest, not only in their courses, but in extracurricular activities and their passions with so many different clubs. I think the school gives a very well rounded education that doesn’t focus only on what happens inside the classroom, but outside also.