Rev. Michael Palmisano, Middle School Chaplain and Religion Teacher
Hometown: Dresher, PA
College(s)/Degree(s): A.B. in Psychology - Princeton University; M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Villanova University; M.Div. - Virginia Theological Seminary
Email Address: mpalmisano@episcopalacademy.org
What is your favorite thing about teaching at EA?
Having come most recently from serving in an Episcopal Church, I'm amazed and so grateful for the intellectual curiosity of our students at EA. Middle School students at EA so often ask questions that adults students whom I formerly worked with were too afraid to ask, didn't think to ask, or had long forgotten how to ask. I'm so impressed by the ways that they'll bring cross-curricular knowledge into their Religion class with me.
What are you involved in at EA outside of teaching?
In the fall I get to coach our boys' varsity and JV cross country teams. This has been one of the highlights of my time at EA. It's my joy to watch students fall in love with the sport that has brought so much good into my own life. It's also a lot of fun to run and work out with our team, which has begun building a legacy of success. I've also worked with our boys' varsity winter track team and serve as the head coach to our Middle School spring track team. Obviously running is a passion of mine.
What is your favorite lesson or unit to teach?
As I've taught the lesson more and more, I think the Parable of the Prodigal Son has become one of my favorites to teach. The 7th graders who read this parable are immediately struck by the direct implications in their own lives - sibling favoritism, forgiveness, kindness, etc. Through this, the students walk away with an immediate application for their own lives, are opened to the multiplicity of readings available in parables (and stories in general), and have an expanded understanding of Jesus' pedagogy and storytelling prowess.
What do you hope your students take from your class?
My greatest hope for our students is that they walk away from EA having grown more closely into the person they hope to be - truly as our mission claims to inspire students to "...lead lives of purpose, faith, and integrity." I hope that through our Chapel programming, through the content and manner in which I teach, and the ways in which I conduct myself in the classroom and through athletics, that our students will glimpse that they are indeed part of something bigger than themselves. I hope to contribute to the formation of our students' good character as much as their intellectual formation.
How would you describe EA students?
On some mornings I find myself greeting students at the Middle School/Upper School car line. The typical EA student will wave goodbye to their parent/guardian carrying a litany of items on their person: baseball bats, tennis rackets, cleats and in hand will be holding a violin, clarinet, or trumpet. Our students have a unique opportunity to do many things here at EA, to explore many new passions, and to go as deep as they'd like into those passions.
What is your favorite Stripe?
It's probably pretty cliche for the Chaplain to say this, but my favorite Stripe is probably Faith. However, it's not because of reasons you might guess, but rather because of the time of year that we mark Faith as the Stripe of the Month—December. This time of year is always so ripe for this Stripe to come alive, as we typically have a large number of students marking their time with various religious observances in December. Also, it's typically during a time of the academic year in which one of my 8th grade Religion classes has completed, and is now sharing their capstone Faith Papers in Chapel. It would be difficult for the students, faculty, and staff not to see Faith come alive in the words and actions of the community during this time.