Faculty Focus: Dr. Brandon Guernsey

My path to teaching has felt very much like a game of connecting the dots! Throughout middle and high school, I was confident that one day I would be a medical doctor. This was in part because I had enjoyed my biology classes, but mostly stemmed from a desire to help others and to do something that would make a difference and have a positive impact on the lives of others. Once I was in college and began taking a variety of courses, I soon discovered that there were many ways to do that. My interests in humanities and social sciences grew into a double major in International Studies and French—although I did still manage a minor in biology as something of a souvenir from my days on the pre-med track. These interests then led me to serving in the Peace Corps in Mauritania, a French speaking country in West Africa. While there and speaking French every day for three years, I realized how much I loved the language and wanted to continue studying it. Upon returning to the U.S., I applied to grad school, and earned my Masters and PhD in French literature with a focus on African writers. My first experience with teaching was as a grad student when I was assigned to teach a beginning level French course. With no instructional background in teaching, it felt very much like a “sink or swim” moment every time I stepped in front of the class (FYI - I am not a swimmer ... I can pretty much only handle dog paddling in the shallow end on a good day). Yet through a lot of trial and error, I came to love being in the classroom and helping my students to not only understand the French language, but to make connections with other people and cultures from all across the globe. So while I did not become the kind of doctor I had once envisioned, I like to think that everything turned out exactly as intended, with all of life’s adventures leading me right to where I was meant to be!    

As a French educator, I aim to inspire students to think for themselves as they explore their intellectual potential and expand their worldview through the study of a language that is not their own. My role then becomes more that of a facilitator or guide than teacher. I provide students the tools that they need, whether grammatical, linguistic, or cultural in nature, and they implement them accordingly to advance not only their appreciation for French and the francophone world, but also their ability to communicate effectively in the language. 

In this way, I find that I too am inspired by them as they challenge me to consider new approaches to learning and ways of thinking about and experiencing another language and culture. 

The students! I feel so privileged to get to know them, and while they may not yet realize their full potential, they inspire me—and keep me laughing—each and every day!

I sang in my college’s gospel choir!

While I love the work I do as a teacher, I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to engage with the school community and to be involved in student life at GPS beyond the classroom. Collaborating with the sophomore CLC is a lot of fun, and I admire the thoughtfulness and care they put into every activity to ensure each member of their class feels welcome and that they belong.  

My students would probably say that I’m known for wearing “fun socks,” but I hope that they will also remember the “fun” part of language learning! While learning French certainly comes with its challenges, that certainly doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun with it through games, music, and even some dancing on occasion.