Exit Interviews: Mr. Creighton

It is the end of the school year, which means that we will soon depart with a few of our favorite teachers. This year, many middle school teachers are departing AES. Over the final weeks of school, The Direct Message will post Exit Interviews that we ran with each of these teachers. Unfortunately, Mr. Creighton is one of the teachers leaving AES this year.

Interviewed and written by #YahavTzuk (G8), #Ryotaro Stainer (G8), #ArivChudasama (G8)

How many years have you been at AES?

“Eighteen! I taught fifth grade for six years, then went back to teach in the US. Two years later, I was back at AES in middle school.”

What will you miss most about AES?

“I will miss my students, my co-workers, and the copy machines.”

What is the best part about being a teacher at AES?

“I think students are the best part of all schools. And I’ve been lucky to work with great teachers everywhere I’ve gone. What sets AES apart from the US public schools I’ve worked in is the abundance of support staff. From teaching assistants to school secretaries to custodians, teachers get so much great support. That means we can focus more on the fun part of our job–being with students.”

What are your plans for the future, and what are your thoughts about this next step? (Please include where you will be and your work plan.)

“Next year, I have two goals. I want to spend at least four months with my mother, who is in poor health. The rest of the time, I’ll volunteer as a curriculum coordinator for The Community Library Project. There, I’ll train teachers, develop a program to teach Hindi reading, and I’ll work with students and adults who want to learn how to read!”

How do you hope your students and colleagues will remember you?

“I hope they’ll remember I cared about them as people and learners.” 

What message would you like to leave for the community at AES?

Support your local community library–every person deserves the right to read!

Now, a few words from Mr. Creighton’s students:

Yahav (8th grade)

Mr. Creigton is super friendly; his positive mental attitude inspires us all to be better. I also admire his honesty; he always says what’s on his mind. 

Ryotaro (8th grade)

Mr Creighton is always really chill and a fun guy to be around. I will miss him when he is gone, as he always had a presence in middle school.

Ariv (8th Grade)

I have really enjoyed having Mr. Creighton around because, on top of being a teacher, he is also a teacher assistant, and helps us all grow whether we're in his class or not. 

Max (8th Grade)

I really enjoyed having him in 6th grade in our class. In my first year, he helped me a lot whenever I was confused, and he did a great job both as a teacher and a teaching assistant.