Retiring Faculty Member: Mrs. Behnke
retire from the Academy at the end of spring term after teaching at the Academy for five years. Behnke has taught for thirty years at a variety of schools and colleges, including Tufts, University of Chicago and Buckingham Browne and Nichols (BB&N).
Behnke decided to leave Exeter because of the difficult commute; each week she splits her time between York, ME, Boston and Exeter.
“It’s just too much. I never like to be late, or missing, but these last two winters have been brutal,” she said.
She said that the boarding school culture of Exeter has made her position as an off-campus instructor challenging.
“Because of the way Exeter runs, it runs naturally as a boarding school and for people who live here, so there are no days off or snow days or anything. I’ve thought that if this was a day school, theres no way I would leave,” Behnke said.
Although Behnke is leaving her job at Exeter, she plans to continue teaching after taking some time off next year. “I’m taking a year to reconsider my future,” she said
“I have some irons in the fire in Boston—I’m teaching a course for an organization called Beacon Hills Seminars, and it’s related to classics. I’ll do that since it’s not a big commitment and I’ll volunteer at some city schools and do work with some children and music and see what comes up,” Behnke said.
Reflecting on her time at the Academy, Behnke appreciated her students’ enthusiasm and original ideas.
“The kind of variety and excitement of kids here is just inspirational,” she said.
She also spoke of her love for the job.
“My favorite part about teaching is the fact that it’s a job where you never step into the same stream twice, as Pythagoras said. Every year, every day it’s a different thing,” she said.
Behnke is described by colleagues and friends as an engaging and passionate teacher who loves to learn as much as teach.
Sally Morris, the chair of the Classics Department, highlighted Behnke’s ability to inspire her students.
“When I think about Ms. Behnke’s teaching, I admire how she is really great with the younger kids and teaching them how to approach foreign language and how to enjoy approaching a foreign language, which requires a lot of memorization, but turning that memorization into a lot fun,” Morris said.
Morris added that Behnke’s established her reputation as a talented educator before her time at the Academy
“We knew of Ms. Behnke for years because she had run an exceptional program at BB&N,” Morris said.
“She also ran a wonderful humanities and Latin program at University of Chicago, so her reputation preceded her as a person who enthuses all of her colleagues and her students to get as involved as possible and show the different ways Latin permeates our life.”
English and Latin students alike praised Behnke’s talent as a teacher in the classroom and Upper Augustus Gilchrist, who currently has Behnke as an English teacher, appreciates her wealth of classical knowledge.
“Mrs. Behnke has a boundless enthusiasm for the intellectual development of her students. Despite having her for English, Mrs. Behnke still made, then explained, countless classical references which really enriched our experience,” he said. “She is always happy to provide feedback on a piece of writing to a students, and I found her comments both warm-hearted and constructive,” Gilchrist added.
Fellow upper Casey Osborne has had Behnke as a Latin teacher for multiple terms.
“Magistra Behnke has been by far one of the best teachers I've been taught by,” Osborne said.
“I admire her dedication to her students and her teaching skills. I have experienced firsthand her passion for the classics and her vibrant presence in the classroom. She will be sorely missed by me and by the Exeter community, and I wish her all the best in her next adventures,” she said.