Faculty Update - Raymond Modiz

Photo is of moi with the Kuehn Family Chalet Sadonita, in Chesières. 1971-72

After the Kuehns left, I started at Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande in Lausanne  (ENSR) - first as a maître interne (boarding-school teacher) and EFL teacher. Bit by bit, I tried to make my English courses as much like mother-tongue classes as possible. (Now we’re a bilingual school. ;-) ) I also taught US History at our sister school, Brillantmont, for a couple years, but as my ENSR schedule became fuller, I had to give that up.

During the last several years, most of my teaching was in the International Baccalaureate diploma section of the school: English B and A and Théorie de la Connaissance.

From the beginning, I tried to infuse ENSR with the BA philosophy. I didn’t, but I can say that my little corner of the school was always faithful to the principles of Brookfield Academy as I had committed to them. And since after the first 2 or 3 years I always did exactly as I thought best - mostly with the support of the direction - this 100+ year-old school must have been comfortable with me. I am deeply grateful to them for the freedom of action they allowed me, as I am for the principles BA taught me.   

Many summers found me in Asia - especially in India and Nepal, where I spent (all told) a year of my life. Otherwise, my life has been school.