As the 2024-2025 school year begins, students are settling into the new year ahead. For teachers, they have to balance grading, lesson planning, and, for Mr. Miller, a ninth-grade English teacher at Seven Hills, coaching tennis. All of these aspects of his day create a fulfilling routine.
Mr. Miller’s day begins bright and early as he wakes up at 5:00 AM. Then, he said: “I catch up on the news, so I’m aware of what’s going on in the world because sometimes those events have some important connection to what we’re doing in class.” After watching the news, he likes to spend time with his puppy, often taking him for a walk around the neighborhood. When all of the needs of his dog are taken care of, he’s ready to head off to school for an exciting day of teaching and interacting with the Seven Hills community.
Upon arriving at school in his speedy Porsche, he teaches his first class of the day, an eager class of ninth graders ready to learn about Shakespeare and writing mechanics. One of his students, freshman Maren Osher says: “I haven’t gotten to experience a lot of his class, but it’s a lot more writing than in eighth grade.” While Mr. Miller’s class is rigorous, he offers support to individual students, assuring them that they can thrive in his class. There are many fun activities that students get to engage in throughout the year, and Mr. Miller says: “Writing conferences are a really exciting part of my day because I get to see students putting together their ideas and using their critical thinking skills.” While Mr. Miller’s main subject of teaching is English, he also teaches Latin and masters his comprehension skills in his free time, which highlights his passion for learning.
When the school day concludes, the most exciting part of Mr. Miller’s day starts. This is coaching tennis for Upper school students, with girl’s tennis taking place in the fall, and boy’s tennis taking place in the spring. “Mr. Miller has so many superhuman strengths,” said Tim Drew, the varsity tennis coach. “He never runs out of energy as long as he’s eating little snacks.” Mr. Miller’s stamina helps him to stay energized throughout the day and attend tennis practice after a long day of teaching. Mr. Miller enjoys being able to observe students in a different environment other than the classroom, and he says: “Out on the court, I get to see students in a more assertive role.”
After tennis practice ends, Mr. Miller is finally able to go back home after what is quite often a tiring day. As soon as he returns home, he said: “I like to spend time with my wife and my little puppy, and just wind down and de-stress.” Then, just as soon as his day starts, it ends with an early bedtime, as his alarm for the next day is set to go off before dawn.
