Meet Pat McFadden, Upper School World Language Teacher
Working at St. Mary’s is a “destination job” for Upper School World Language Chair Pat McFadden. In his 22 years at St. Mary’s, Dr. Mc Fadden has taught countless girls grammar, literature, history, and culture of the Latin language.
Dr. McFadden helps his students make connections between their study of Latin and being a citizen of the world. “I hope my students understand that the history of humanity isn't full of good guys and bad guys, but a lot of painfully ambiguous moral and ethical situations,” he says. In these lessons, McFadden instills the importance of critical thinking in their decision-making.
Dr. McFadden says he admires his students’ simultaneous independence and affinity for teamwork. “There is a great combination of seriousness, purpose, and cooperation in our students,” he says.
It's not just the academic rigor that makes St. Mary's a great place to teach. McFadden says he enjoys being part of St. Mary’s long-standing traditions, such as the annual Christmas Pageant. “Right at the end of the semester when we all need something uplifting, the pageant comes through and sends us out the door with the piano crescendo and angelic voices proclaiming, ‘Our hope forevermore,’” he says.
A graduate of Kenyon College, Dr. McFadden received his master’s from the University of Illinois and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
- Upper School