Faculty in Focus: Tom Clark, High School English Teacher

 

A group of grade 10 students gathers in the small amphitheater beside the Graded Learning Lab for an outdoor English lesson. Armed with plastic swords and copies of Othello, they act out the Shakespearean classic, stepping into character and performing key moments to deepen their understanding of the play. Leading them in the role of Iago is High School English Teacher Tom Clark.

In Mr. Clark’s classroom, literature rarely stays on the page for long. Whether facilitating an analysis of Shakespeare or inviting his students to perform a scene aloud, Tom encourages them to consider multiple perspectives and notice how meaning shifts with language—skills he hopes they’ll carry far beyond English class.

Tom holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Manchester, a postgraduate certificate in education from the University of Sunderland, and a master’s degree in education from the University of Bristol. 

In this issue of The Graded Gazette, Tom reflects on the books and characters that have shaped his love of storytelling, what draws him to scuba diving, and the Portuguese word he finds particularly compelling.

What led you to pursue a career teaching English? 

I have always absolutely loved English, so it was a clear choice for my degree. In my last year of the course, I volunteered for a mentoring program for new students and really enjoyed it. After university, I visited relatives in Peru who were teaching at an international school. By an incredible stroke of good luck, the school was looking to work with a British university to train teachers. It was an amazing opportunity, and I have been teaching at international schools ever since. I feel incredibly fortunate that my career involves spending my days debating exceptional books with smart people!
 

Was there a moment that made you fall in love with literature? Tell us about it!

There are moments like this all the time. I love literature’s ability to transport us somewhere else entirely—whether through reading The Lord of the Rings when I was young, traveling through time with Sophocles or Chaucer, or bending our understanding of reality through Murakami. Literature can reveal something profound about the world, a feeling I particularly remember while racing through The Grapes of Wrath as a teenager. 

It can also awe us through an author’s wordcraft. I am always dazzled by Keats’ imagery or the pyrotechnics of Salman Rushdie’s writing in Midnight’s Children. And literature connects people in impressive ways. I’ve loved being part of writing and poetry groups myself, as well as bringing that experience into the classroom and seeing students express themselves to others in remarkable ways.

 

What have you learned from others while working abroad in Peru, Hong Kong, and Brazil?

Peruvians have an extraordinarily rich history, culture, and cuisine that they are intensely proud of. Learning about those things was amazing in itself, but it also taught me to appreciate my own culture. Hong Kongers inspired me with their extraordinary drive and work ethic; they can push themselves to achieve anything. Brazilians love life, music, and being around others; living here has taught me to make the most of life and approach everything with that same joie de vivre.
 

Having taught at British international schools before Graded, what do you appreciate most about an American school environment?

It’s really interesting to see the cultural differences. I think British schools tend to have a stricter hierarchy, where close adherence to rules is very important. There are benefits (it’s very ordered and polite), but it could be argued that it can be a bit of a cold system. From my experience at Graded, I’ve found that the American education system places greater value on relationships and the trust established between students and teachers. That has always been important to me, but I’ve really grown to fully appreciate it at Graded.

What are some of your favorite books to teach? Why?

I love bringing plays to life. Students are sometimes intimidated by Shakespeare, and it’s great to show them that his work can be fun, rude, action-packed, or very silly. I am now infamous in my classes for my excitement to play the scheming Iago from Othello! 

Poetry is brilliant, too. Reading Keats, Szymborska, or Browning with students and hearing their unique interpretations is fascinating. I also love the novels that students connect with, such as Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. These are powerful texts that make us question who we are and what we know. Seeing wide eyes and frowns as students realize something new about themselves or the world around them is incredible.
 

What are some lessons you hope your students will learn from you?

English is far from being an abstract or impractical subject. Understanding words, expressing your ideas clearly, and decoding the ways others try to influence you are among life’s most important skills. They are essential for our survival and success. 

We might have mastered nuclear bombs, but we still haven’t worked out how to run a functioning society. I believe that reading, understanding others’ perspectives, engaging with others’ cultures, and learning to see through a different lens are a big part of the answer. If my students could go out into the world a little better armed to take on these challenges, I would be very happy indeed.

 

Is there a book, poem, or play you think everyone should read at least once?

I was once asked this in a job interview, and I think the interviewer had rather been hoping I’d name some prestigious old book. I think I disappointed him when I replied, ‘No!’

People (and our students) are endlessly varied, and there is no single book that is perfect for everyone, in every culture. The great news is that there is an infinite variety of books out there, too! It might take some people longer than others to find that perfect book, but it’s out there! 

Having said all that, as long as the right guide is by your side, Shakespeare is fascinating for his ability to capture all the contradictions of human psychology. Alternatively, you surely couldn’t waste your time with the compact beauty of Ezra Pound’s quasi-haiku, “In a Station of the Metro”: 

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.
 

Which literary character fascinates you most?

Cormac McCarthy’s fascinatingly despicable characters, like Judge Holden in Blood Meridian, are great. Gus and Call in Lonesome Dove have a firm place in my heart, too. The novel is a brilliantly fun, escapist romp in the Western genre, anchored by the characters’ absolute trust in one another, despite their constant bickering.

Do you have a favorite word or expression in Portuguese?

I love that the word saudade incorporates the sadness of absence or longing for something with the happiness of having known something was good.
 

We heard that you often participate in language exchange events. What do you enjoy most about connecting with people through language?

I’m trying to keep my rusty Spanish alive while learning Portuguese. As a foreigner in a new country, it’s a lovely way to meet other international people.

 

 

You’re an avid scuba diver. How does being underwater make you feel, and what have been some memorable diving experiences? 

I absolutely love nature. People who don’t dive often view being underwater as scary, and, while it can be, it can also be deeply meditative. Diving feels like an act of mindfulness—being (quite literally) immersed in the natural world and away from everyday distractions. 

I’ve been able to dive from liveaboard boats off Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Mexico's Socorro Island—two of the absolute best dive locations in the world—with hammerheads, friendly dolphins, whale sharks, and manta rays. A humpback whale passed through our dive site in the Galapagos, a memory that will stay with me forever.


Outside of work, you also enjoy hiking and cooking. On a perfect weekend, which trails would you hike and what dishes would you make for your friends or family?

If I could temporarily teleport anywhere, Huaraz, Peru, is the most amazing place I have ever hiked, with its impressive mountains and traditional villages. A walk along the Thames River in my hometown with my family, and cooking a British roast dinner with my mum, would be a great option, too!