Fleischaker, Phyllis

Name: Phyllis Fleischaker
Subject: tenth grade English and AP Eleventh grade English
Education: Major in English and minor in Education from the University of Pennsylvania
Jobs: administration at a fair housing testing organization
Hobbies: reading and traveling

Since Phyllis Fleischaker was a young child she knew that her calling in life was to become a teacher. The only thing she was unsure of was what level to teach English.

Phyllis Fleischaker

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Fleischaker was born in New York, but raised in the Philadelphia area where she attended Avinton High School. She continued her education at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in English and minoring in Education. After graduating, she got married and moved to Washington D.C, where she taught at both Dunbar and Ballou High Schools.

She took a break from teaching to raise her two daughters. She then returned to work as an administrator at a fair housing testing organization. However, this was not her passion. "I enjoyed it, but it was clear that I belonged in a classroom," said Fleischaker.

In 1985 she returned to the classroom as a composition assistant at Blair. Then, in 1990 became an English teacher. She chose Blair because of its convenient location and familiarity. "I knew some of the people here [Blair] and it was reasonably close to home," said Fleischaker.

Fleischaker vividly remembers her own tenth grade English teacher who served as a role model for her, but she was motivated on her own to become a teacher. " I am one of those people who always knew they would teach," said Fleischaker.

She tries to communicate her own enthusiasm for literature and education onto her students. Also, she hopes to appeal to students personal passions and interests by providing them with relevant modern examples.

Student individuality is a major motivator for Fleischaker. She greatly appreciates the diversity in her classes "One of the rewards of teaching is the interaction with so many different personalities and learning styles. It never gets dull," said Flieschaker with a smile.