“An outstanding culture of learning”

Emmett Zackheim has been with RBC since 2015 – as a teacher of English, TOK, and Theater and as a House Tutor. In January 2024, he took over the role of Director of Studies (DOS) from Dr. Christian Bock. We spoke to Emmett about his new role, his background and his path into school leadership. 

You’ve taught at RBC for over nine years, first English and TOK, soon after Theater, too. How did you find your path as a teacher, and what do you love about teaching?
My interest in teaching developed early on. Even in high school, I enjoyed being a peer tutor for maths and English. Then, during my undergraduate studies at Yale, I took courses in education, served as an after-school tutor at a local middle school, and worked at a few educational programs during the summers. After graduating, I decided to apply for a one-year teaching internship at the Hotchkiss School (a boarding school in Connecticut) – and I ended up spending four years there as a theater teacher and House Tutor, and then also as an English teacher. After those four years, it was clear that I wanted to continue teaching rather than pursuing a career in theater.

What I love about teaching is that it draws together different ways of thinking and working: creativity, logic and planning, as well as working with people and building relationships. Whether planning a 75-minute lesson or developing a two-year curriculum, there are so many possibilities and decisions to make. Of course, teaching is also incredibly rewarding because of the impact we can have on students. I would say my overall goal is to help my students develop a sense of confidence, to empower them.

So how do you see the role of a teacher?
On the most basic level, a teacher’s goal is to support students in a learning process, helping them to expand their understanding and abilities. There’s no one way to achieve that aim, but I like what Peter Elbow, a renowned teacher of writing, said about this. He wrote that teachers have two seemingly contradictory roles in relation to our students. On the one hand, we are their allies; we are there to nurture and encourage and guide them. On the other hand, we also need to set high standards, to step back and evaluate their progress in a more ‘objective’ way. When teachers navigate these positions with skill and compassion, we can build trusting and supportive relationships with our students, and those relationships are often the key to powerful learning.

Of course, at RBC, the teachers – and indeed all staff members – are also engaged in a school community that extends beyond the classroom. Teaching and learning continue through CAS, in the houses, on project weeks, on outdoor trips, and more. Our role as adults is not only to participate directly or to impart knowledge, but to make sure we are creating space and providing opportunities and support for students to learn and grow through their own experiences.

Since January 2024, you’ve been part of RBC’s leadership team, overseeing the academic aspects of the school. Why did you decide to take on this new role and what’s your focus?
I’ve always been interested in longer-term questions like ‘what are we all about, what are our principles, and how we can be best achieve our aims?’. Becoming part of the school leadership team – and especially a team that is in the middle of a transition – is a great chance to ask these questions, to look at the school after ten years with the benefit of experience as well as a fresh perspective. But these big questions need time. So far, my priority has been continuity.

As Director of Studies, I have responsibilities to students and staff alike, the primary goal being to help students grow and thrive academically. I see my role not so much as in having all the answers but in creating the conditions for students and teachers to learn from one another. We have an outstanding culture of learning at RBC – in my opinion that’s one of the factors of the school’s success – and it’s important to cultivate this. I also feel immensely grateful to have been able to transition into my new role gradually, with time to prepare and with so much support from Christian Bock. He has been a wonderful mentor throughout my time here and especially over the past year.

What else defines this place for you?
To me, RBC represents a sense of care and community. One of my first memories of RBC was the welcome show that the second-years performed for their first-years. At the end, they brought the first-years to join them onstage and they also invited the new staff members to join as well. I felt immediately welcomed, sensing that there was a special atmosphere here. We’re not perfect, and things don’t always go smoothly, but the students and staff members at RBC are constantly challenging assumptions and holding ourselves accountable in trying to learn and do better. That’s another defining quality of RBC: the sense of idealism and the conviction that the world can and will improve. We’re living in complex times, and there are no easy solutions, but it’s inspiring to be a part of this community, where so many people are committed to working toward a better future. 

Emmett Zackheim was born in Helena, Montana, USA. After graduating from Yale University with an undergraduate degree in Theater Studies, he spent four years teaching Theater, Public Speaking, Humanities and English at The Hotchkiss School. Prior to joining RBC in 2015, he completed a master’s degree at Georgetown University with a focus on teaching literature and writing. He is currently pursuing a degree in school leadership through the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. 

This article was published in our Annual Report 23/24. Read more.