Brad Robinson
Exonians stared at Physics Instructor Brad Robinson as he pulled the complicated rope system connected to his trapeze-like chair. By rigging the chair using a block-and-tackle pulley system, Robinson was able to slowly rise off of the ground. Instead of lowering himself down after the demonstration, Robinson taught the rest of the class while up in the ceiling.
Robinson had always wanted to become a teacher, a profession which runs in his family. “I decided that I was going to be a teacher probably when I was a child,” he said.
Before coming to PEA, Robinson taught at a public high school in Vermont, where he mostly taught earth sciences. After searching for a place where he could share his main passion—physics—he came across Exeter. “I met a couple of PEA faculty at a physics conference who let me know that there was a job opening and encouraged me to apply.”
Once he arrived at Exeter in 1988, however, Robinson found that the school was more serious than he had expected. “Exeter can feel like a very intense place,” he said. “In some ways, I've never felt like I personally fit that bottle of ambition and drive.”
Robinson soon realized that he was capable of “helping some students feel that it's okay to lighten up and have fun and see the joy in just being together and working together.” Through the decades, Robinson has remained committed to supporting his students and making sure they are genuinely engaged in their learning.
Post graduate Preston Maccoux noted Robinson’s considerate and thoughtful nature. “I was lost and quite worried about [...] falling behind. However, [Robinson] quickly changed his schedule so that we could go over the test together.” Maccoux appreciated the extra care, and noted that “[Robinson] was the first person to show me that teachers really do care about their students’ grades.”
Fellow Physics Instructor James DiCarlo commended Robinson’s attentiveness to his students, especially how he always finds a way to connect with them. “I remember being amazed at how he'd know exactly what was going to be challenging for his students to grasp,” DiCarlo said. “Looking back at it now, I see that he was more like an orchestra conductor, gently coaxing something out the group with small nudges.”
Lower Anna Rose Marion was similarly impressed by Robinson’s attentiveness to the class’s needs. “One time, when a lot of people didn’t know trigonometry, he took a whole day to teach us how to do the math so that we were all on the same page,” Marion said.
Robinson is also committed to updating the material of his courses to ensure the best learning experience for his students. Over the past couple years, he has “completely revamped the electronics course to make use of modern microcontrollers,” DiCarlo said. “He's always got some new idea he's trying out.”
Outside the classroom, Robinson similarly strives to make Exeter a more connected place by building relationships and pursuing his passions. In the winter, Robinson enjoys inviting colleagues to his farm. “I've got great memories of colleagues coming out to my farm for ice skating on our pond at night under the moon with a bonfire built on the ice [...] and going sledding.”
In addition, DiCarlo recounted how he and Robinson frequently enjoy playing music together. “He's a fine guitar player. We play for contra dances and in Irish sessions together,” DiCarlo said. “Our rooms are right next to each other, so we occasionally play music together during our free periods.”
Marion said that hearing their “jam sessions” brightened up her day. “When I was in Ms. Waterman’s class, he and Mr. Dicarlo would jam out and play different instruments…[i]t was very encouraging to hear that at 8 a.m.,” Marion said.
Robinson concluded that the most rewarding aspect of his Exeter career has been fostering collaboration with and among the students. “What feels most important to me are the relationships that I formed with students,” he said. “When I see students being kind to each other, helping each other...it makes me incredibly happy.”