If you’ve ever gone to science teacher Ms. Gillian Belk’s classroom on the ground floor of the Michael and Marlene Science Center, you’ll probably find her leading her class through a hands-on learning activity; these activities include dissecting frogs, cooking chicken wings, or doing henna tattoos. After a year of teaching Science at Bishop’s, she will be moving on.
According to Ms. Belk, her teaching style is inspired by one of her favorite college classes; she said, “My favorite class in college had no tests or quizzes. I remember so much of what we would do was based on doing things ourselves. If we weren’t working on a project we were looking through medical journals for research. I learned more from that class than any other class in college.”
When Grace Dabir (24’), described this teaching style, she said that it made class “always super fun.”
On top of guiding them through the crazy world of science, Ms. Belk also provides a safe space for her students’ interests. For example, she and Emma Madaney (24’) liked to bond over their shared love of Arabic music. Emma said, “I never thought anyone other than my family would know all these Lebanese and French artists, so being able to bond like that with a faculty member felt special.”
“Don’t be so serious. Life is serious enough as it is.”
— Ms. Belk
Additionally, Ms. Belk makes sure to be there for her students inside and outside of the classroom; this includes Gabby Gaspar (25’) who said, “She would always respond to her emails at any time of the day, even when I needed help on an application late at night. She’s always been there to support me when I need it.” furthermore, she added that Ms. Belk was “always super encouraging.”
When asked what advice she wanted to give her students before leaving the Bishop’s school, Ms. Belk implored them to find what they are passionate about and see how they can turn it into something in their future. She said, “I hope that no matter what my students want to pursue, whether it be biology, business, or any other path, they find what kind of experiences can help them grow in their interests.” She’s been able to show she’s someone who cares about her students and wants them to succeed.
