#MyCaedmonStory

Bryan Storti, Fifth Grade Teacher 

What was the path that led you to The Caedmon School?

I went to grad school with a former Caedmon teacher (shout out to Charles Jones). Charles invited me to visit him at Caedmon a few times. I remember sitting in on lessons and having lunch with everyone and really enjoying my time here.

I remember applying for a Lower Level position while I was still in grad school and I did not get it. Then, a year later I came back to apply for an open Fifth grade associate teacher position. Everyone who had interviewed me the year prior remembered me and went out of their way to find me and welcome me back (Ms. Woodruff and Ms. Power among them). That was incredibly meaningful and powerful for me and really showed me how special a place Caedmon is. 

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I had a wonderful teacher in elementary school named Miss Simeone. She started a specialist class about computers and logic (home computers were the next big thing when I was in elementary school). She always went out of her way to work more with her students and make learning special. She even came over to our home and shared meals with us. Every lesson and experience she created was invigorating and original. She and I are still friends to this day and I still bounce ideas off of her. She was absolutely my inspiration to be a teacher. One of my favorite moments of my life was when Miss Simeone and Mrs. Howell met each other at my wedding!

What is it about Caedmon that excites you to come to school each morning?

Everything! From Ms. Capote’s greeting each morning to having the opportunity to check in with parents each afternoon. It seems obvious to me that Caedmon is a place that inspires lifelong learning because around every corner there are myriad opportunities to learn. The current Fifth grade class speaks multiples languages, plays several different instruments, and has wide-ranging interests from the stock market to surgery to animation to sharks. This is my eleventh year and each of my eleven classes has taught me something completely new. 

It is truly exhilarating to be a part of this community.

All of the adults at Caedmon have their own set of passions and interests as well and all have always been happy to share their expertise and insights. 

What is your favorite Caedmon memory?

Oh gosh - there are so many to choose from and I think I’ve already mentioned a few! The funny thing is that if you ask me this next week, I’ll probably come up with a different wonderful Caedmon memory.

OK, here’s one that I love because it allowed me to bring one of my passions to the greater Caedmon community in a meaningful way. It’s no secret that my favorite television show is Doctor Who.  We use it in Fifth grade to help teach about Habits of Mind (all 16 Habits of Mind are demonstrated in every single 13th Doctor episode). A few years ago, there was an incredibly impactful episode in which the titular Doctor and her friends travel back in time and meet Rosa Parks. The episode depicts the racism of the time bluntly and honestly. It also shows the impact that one person can have on the whole of history. After Upper Level watched this episode, they all decided that we needed to share this beyond our classroom with the greater Caedmon community. I contacted a local Doctor Who expert named Constance Elly Gibbs who, along with myself and the UL class, led a Caedmon FACES event in which we watched the episode and then discussed it. Seeing and hearing so many members of the greater Caedmon community (about 60 people attended) all inspired to discuss the important topics that the episode broaches and then share out their own stories - this was truly awe-inspiring for me. I was proud to have had a part in creating this experience.

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I am married to a wonderful person named Shawna. We have two dogs - a corgi named George and a Maltese named Marshmallow. We are currently writing a cookbook and are working our way through all the escape rooms in NYC. I’m reading High School, a memoir written by one of my favorite bands of all time, Tegan and Sara.  

If your Caedmon Story had a title, what would it be?

So many ideas for this. I moved to New York City because of all the culture and diversity and learning that could be found within the city limits. Caedmon seems like a small, concentrated pocket of that learning. In light of that fact, I could cop out and use the title of the last movie that I saw which is Everything Everywhere All at Once.

But, perhaps a better answer is this. Whenever I tell people about Caedmon, I use the analogy of car ownership. According to my dad, your first car should be a clunker. Caedmon is the first and only school I’ve ever been employed at, so I say that it’s like having a Ferrari as your first car. So maybe Ferrari on the First Go.

Ultimately though,

Caedmon has made me a better person and for that, I am forever grateful. 

And if I have similarly affected anyone that I have met here at Caedmon, then I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be of service. So - final answer - my Caedmon Story would be titled Forever Grateful.