Professor Maier, Spanish class was a big part of my experience at Andover. I struggled, worked hard, and wanted to give up. Despite my attitude toward Spanish and thinking, ‘I’ll never pass this course,’ I was so lucky to have you as a teacher! You pushed me and believed in me—two aspects every teacher should have. Future Andover students are missing out on such a great teacher. Espero decir esto correctamente. Bueno suerte en tu praximo capatulo de la vida. ¡Te extrañare!”

In his own words...

I remember being interviewed twice in the winter of 1987 by Kelly Wise, then dean of faculty, who wanted to make sure that I understood the nature of the world into which I was entering. I was 10 years into teaching at the college level. I was very clear with myself as to why I wanted to teach at a private high school. As I stated in my application letter: I was tired, disillusioned even, of teaching only to the mind as is the nature of university teaching. I wanted to teach to the heart as well and to involve myself with the whole child. I was looking forward to coaching something (I was an active recreational squash player, had played lacrosse one year in college and varsity soccer in high school), and while I had some trepidation about dorm living, I had a young family and felt that the responsibilities of the dorm would not be in conflict with family life. Maybe my kids might even benefit by having a whole bunch of “older brothers.” I know that my decision was the right one, and in turn I think the Academy is happy it took a chance on me.

John R. Maier , 1994

So, all these years later, where have I arrived? I have so appreciated the freedom given to me by the Academy and my department to find my teaching style and to innovate with different techniques and approaches. I was very proud to have been the first person in our division, maybe in the school, to teach a course based solely on video material. (I can still see myself wheeling a monstrous video cart with TV and VHS player from its closet on the first floor of Sam Phil to the elevator then up to the second floor three times a day that first year.) The videos were horrible third-generation copies of bad Latin American soap operas, but… well, it was real language and real culture. Of course, video and audio material are such naturally intrinsic parts of teaching today as not to be given a second thought. But not back then.

It has brought me great joy to have been so integral a part of the introduction of Hispanic culture to so many students through study abroad programs. During my 40-year career, I have traveled with PA students to Costa Rica and Spain five times and supervised term programs in Mexico and Madrid.

I have taught all levels of Spanish, from beginning level through AP literature. The beginning levels are gratifying because you see such tremendous growth in the students that first year. They go from looking at you with cross-eyed confusion and frustration to actually being able to hold a basic conversation. Wow. And we would laugh at all of the uproariously funny things that came out of their mouths—natural errors that I think helped them let down their guard and enjoy the process, one fraught with error and humor, but ultimately that allowed for growth, awareness, and ability.

I have vivid memories of watching movies in Spanish with paper taped to the bottom of the screen to cover up the subtitles and still remember lines from “La Casa de Bernarda Alba” from your class. Felicidades en jubilarse, le agradezco todo que me enseño y que me ofreció por las lecciones. Disfrute el tiempo pa’lante. Gracias por todo!”

I absolutely adore teaching literature, however. I have never been overly interested in teaching literary history, but rather to have the kids come to appreciate a work for the culture that produced it and the culture that manifests itself in that work. I’ve enjoyed talking about those things in Spanish and then taking moments from the texts as examples of human activity in all of its complex and exquisite contradiction and using that as a cipher for their own lives and the various trials and tribulations and joys and successes and failures that they too have experienced. To have students examine their lives through this lens is to feel that I have profoundly touched someone. That is my joy.

I may not be remembered as a coach, but the 15 years I spent with JVII lacrosse were very happy times. Those experiences fed my competitive spirit. I can still remember a couple of memorable plays, the mud bowl practices on Siberia before better drainage was installed, the swampy morass that was (is) Rafferty Field, and my final game as coach in 2002 against Proctor—I co-coached with my dear friend and colleague Meredith Price, who had been with me all that time and who was retiring. A wonderful brotherhood!

I won’t be going far. We have a house in Andover, on Foster’s Pond, and I look forward to gardening, kayaking, and hanging out on our deck overlooking the pond. I expect to see many of you as I walk the dog around campus.

Thank you, Phillips Academy. Thank you, my many faculty colleagues and friends. Thank you, PA students. I have been blessed by this place and by all of you who have so impacted who I am.

I met the love of my life and now husband Andy in Mr. Maier’s 9th-grade Spanish class. He used to save a seat next to him every class without my knowing, since I was walking all the way to class from Graves and was always the last to arrive. Love-struck as I was, only Mr. Maier’s unflagging energy could have kept me focused on Spanish! He refused to hear excuses about how little Spanish we already knew and threw us right into an immersive experience. I’ll remember his class forever, and for all the right reasons!”

You were my favorite teacher at Andover because I saw a strength in you that was unwavering, and as a result, I became a stronger student and a stronger person in your classroom.”