Dr. O'Shea

Photo:
DSC00618.JPG (51KB) IMG_0002.JPG (20KB)

About The Teacher Label:


About The Teacher
I am in my eleventh year at Bosque School, and I'm thrilled to be teaching full time this year. I received my undergraduate degree (in English, Economics,and Theology--I couldn't decide and they spoke to each other beautifully!) at the University of Notre Dame. I completed both a masters and a doctoral degree in English at the University of New Mexico, and because it was free, an executive MBA at UNM as well. This year, I'm especially looking forward to teaching Bosque's new economics class. I found my way to Bosque after about ten years in the business world, and, like Dorothy, I don't expect to leave home again anytime soon.

Mission Label:


Mission
When I was not much older than our seniors, a good friend gave me a gift of two questions that I've returned to throughout my life. The first was "What is worth my life?" and the second was "How can I best love?" These are the questions that ultimately led me into teaching, and they are the questions that have brought me back into the classroom full time this year. In both English and Economics classes, I hope that students will learn to ask their own questions and to think deeply about important things. I believe that words have the power to change the world. I think the most important thing I can help students learn is how to use those words with insight, power, and compassion, whether they are reading a book in English class, or debating policy in Economics. I can think of few things that I enjoy more than learning. In the past year, I've taken up both the violin and the mandolin, and the fact that I can lose myself in these pursuits and grow without anyone ever giving me a grade informs my philosophy of assessment. I hope that the grades I give students will, at best, be useful to them, and at worst, not get in the way of joyful learning.