Why I Teach: John Harris, Middle School STEAM Teacher
Holly Caldwell
Middle School STEAM teacher John Harris thrives on the moments when information becomes crystallized in a student’s mind: “It could be any subject, any day, any project, but it’s rewarding to see them become confident enough to then teach that knowledge to someone else.”
An engineer by training, John’s background informs his everyday interactions with students: “I tell my students all the time that I will never make them do anything that can’t be applied to the real world.” One area in which this rings true often involves math, and how some students struggle with or even fear the subject: “I show them how to embrace math and use it as a language to create the things they want to in STEAM.” For John, math allows him “to open doors” and he wants to instill this concept in his students.
John has found a home in teaching Middle School because, “Every day is a new adventure. It’s fun to see the transition in each student as they become the people they want to become.”
Life’s path Education: Villanova University B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Mensa & Engineering Honors Fraternity
Career: STEAM & Math Teacher The Shipley School 2006–present
Founder & Coach Upper Merion Viking Youth Lacrosse Program 2002–2014
Owner Harris Consulting, Inc. 2002–2011
Mr. Harris’s This & That
A man of many hobbies: John enjoys playing guitar, gardening, fishing, and making things in his home MakerSpace, among many other hobbies.
Favorite STEAM project: For the Tin Can Artscapes, students designed and laser cut 3D layers out of Baltic birch to create stunning tiny landscapes.
On the road: “I’ve driven boats, bikes, cars, trucks, excavators, motorcycles, ATVs, and tractors.”
Sightseer: John has visited every US state but four.
Music man: “I’ve seen over 100 concerts.”
Hosts with the most: John and his wife, Kate, have hosted seven students from Asia attending local schools over the years.
A man of many hobbies: John enjoys playing guitar, gardening, fishing, and making things in his home MakerSpace, among many other hobbies.
Favorite STEAM project: For the Tin Can Artscapes, students designed and laser cut 3D layers out of Baltic birch to create stunning tiny landscapes.
On the road: “I’ve driven boats, bikes, cars, trucks, excavators, motorcycles, ATVs, and tractors.”
Sightseer: John has visited every US state but four.
Music man: “I’ve seen over 100 concerts.”
Hosts with the most: John and his wife, Kate, have hosted seven students from Asia attending local schools over the years.
Fun Shipley fact: His favorite time of year takes place the last two weeks of the school year, during the Generations Project—a longstanding tradition at Shipley, when students do school the way they want, without books, bells, or assigned schedules.
Favorite personal project: “I was blessed enough to marry one of my daughters and made the arch she was married under.”
At home: John and Kate have six daughters, two sons-in-law, two grandkids, and two dogs.
The Upper School Administration recognized the outgoing and incoming student leadership officers and presented students with academic, athletic, and leadership awards at the annual Closing Awards Ceremony.
"How can we use the language of art to explore our feelings and beliefs? What do I care about and how can I bring that idea to life? What do I want to communicate?" These are just a few of the questions that Shipley’s Studio Art 3 Honors students grappled with as they completed their protest art assignments. Learn more about this project and how students discover their voice as artists to speak about something they care about.
Shipley’s Middle School Science Olympiad team finished 11th out of 36 middle school teams that participated in the recent States competition. Though it may not have been as good as the outcome the team wanted, the Olympians and coaches came away from the experience with much more than a trophy or gold medal. Learn more about what makes the Science Olympiad experience such an amazing one.
Defining scientific research questions and the process of inquiry is an important part of Middle School science. Beginning in sixth grade, students define their questions, then design experiments to help them answer these questions. Eighth graders recently traveled to Saunders Woods to do this work as part of their ecosystem assessment project—just one example of how authentic assessments create meaningful learning experiences.
Shipley’s Track and Field team made School history by participating for the first time in the historic Penn Relays at Franklin Fields on April 27-29, 2023. The Gators ran with courage and grace, making a memorable first impression at this year's Penn Relay Carnival. Before the races, the team and coaches made a promise to each other: "Focused teammates, committed to run for each other," and that is precisely how they competed.
Shipley's Middle and Upper School Science Olympiad Teams competed in the Pennsylvania Science Olympiad State Tournament on April 22 at Penn State Altoona. Fourteen teams earned medals during the tournament.
The Shipley Honors Combo won first place in the Small Ensemble Division 2 category at the National Jazz Festival, held April 22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Trumpeter Aidan Peterson ‘24 won an Outstanding Musician Award and also earned the Judge’s Choice Award.
Ninth grade marks a special milestone that presents a host of different challenges. To more effectively meet students’ needs and ensure that they will thrive within the classroom and beyond, Shipley revamped its advisory program by forming a specialized team to guide ninth graders through this transitional time.
To know Betsy Leschinsky (or Mrs. L, as the kids like to call her) is to love her. She is humble about her role in Shipley becoming a leader in social emotional learning, but Mrs. L’s sweet, gentle demeanor and small stature belie a giant in our community. Learn more about Shipley's beloved Lower School SEED Teacher, Betsy Leschinsky.
Carter Barnhart ’10 is the co-founder and CEO of Charlie Health, with the goal of providing high-quality, personalized mental health treatment to a broader population through a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) that combines group, individual, and family therapy sessions delivered entirely online. In 2022, Carter was named to Inc. Magazine’s Female Founders 100 list for her work to rapidly grow Charlie Health.
Chris Lengthorn, Shipley's Director of Squash, dedicates his career to pursing two simple goals: to bring squash to the people and help them achieve whatever their definition of success may be. "I teach students how to manage setbacks and overcome adversity through hard work, discipline and resilience." Learn more about Coach Lengthorn in this Q&A.
When Helen “Honey” Beuf ’78 lost her daughter to suicide, she turned her grief into action. Working with a good friend who is a movie producer, Honey and her other daughter, Tess, decided to produce a documentary film called My Sister Liv. In making the film, Honey says she became aware of unmet needs of kids in learning about suicide prevention and mental health.
Shipley is lucky to have two of its own at the helm of a re-energized Alumni Engagement Office after a two-year hiatus from hosting regional and major events. Aly Mason ’07 took over the role of Director in September 2022, joining Assistant Director Ali Schwartz ’10 in the shared endeavor of connecting with alumni of all ages through robust alumni programming.
“New” traditions can mirror those from the past. And while times may have changed, the goal remains the same: To create a sense of belonging, connection, and school spirit. Learn about two "new" 2022-2023 school year initiatives aimed at generating more school spirit across the divisions.
In Jeff Addis's interdisciplinary Grade 11 Honors American Studies History course, students explore American identity through history, literature, and art. In a recent poetry project, students used visual culture and art to work on writing and voice. Throughout the course, Addis tries to make history real for students, helping them find where their identity and lived experiences overlap with the things they are learning.
Shipley's Middle and Upper School Science Olympiad Teams competed in the Pennsylvania Southeast Region Science Olympiad Tournament on March 11 at Penn State Abington. The teams earned 12 top-three finishes, earning spots at the State Tournament in April.
At the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show, Shipley’s commitment to excellence was on full display through the prize-winning work of the Sprouts, Upper School Horticultural Ecology students, and the Middle School Gardening Club. Shipley alumni also made their mark, with Betsy Hastings Block ’83 and Laura Butera '08 contributing in big ways to the event's success.
Shipley's Upper School Boys' and Girls' Varsity Squash teams competed at the National Squash Championships in Philadelphia, finishing 34th and 64th in the country, respectively.
Since Dr. Roberta Brandao’s arrival to chair Shipley’s STEAM department in the fall of 2022, she has created a learning environment that fosters creativity, provides relevance, and pushes students to think critically. Learn more about Dr. Brandao's approach and how she makes students feel comfortable about taking creative risks.
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.