By: Julia Averill, Julia Bagley, and Kyra Arsenaul
Every fall, Walpole High School opens their doors to numerous new freshmen students; however, this year, WHS welcomed not only students but a significant amount of new teachers as well. Usually, while walking through the halls during the first few weeks of classes, it is not unusual to see freshmen students lost and confused, worried about how to get to their next class. This past fall, there were several teachers in the same position as these students. Coming to a new school as a teacher can be a very intimidating and difficult experience; despite this, Benjamin Auger decided to take on the task.
Starting September 3, 2013, Auger took on the challenge of being the new Latin and French teacher at Walpole High School. Even though he was new to Walpole, teaching was nothing unfamiliar to Auger. He started his teaching career in Salem, Massachusetts, but after a few years of teaching there, he applied for the job in Walpole. Excited about the opportunity, Auger said, “I felt great coming to Walpole, especially because all of the friendly, helpful teachers were great.”
Especially growing up, education was always a major part of Auger’s life. He was a very good student; Auger said, “I was a goody-two-shoes, and was always afraid of getting yelled at.” Then, during high school, after finding teaching to be his passion, he decided he wanted to go to college to become a teacher.
Following his time majoring in classics as an undergraduate, he knew he wanted to teach Latin. Auger also had the chance to study abroad for a year in France, and although he had trouble with the full French novels, his love for the language grew stronger. After coming back to the United States, he knew he not only wanted to teach Latin, but also French. However, his decision to teach was not fully solidified until he had the opportunity to teach English in Austria. With much experience and qualification, Auger succeeded in becoming a teacher, and as a result, Walpole High School gained a new teacher.
After just a few weeks at WHS, Auger got into the swing of things pretty quickly and found he absolutely loved his new job. He was able to connect with both his Latin and French students rather swiftly too. Auger said, “working with my students, hanging out with them, and teaching them a few things—that’s the fun part.”
Fascinating his students with his travels, he uses his experience from France to entice and help his French students learn to their fullest potential. While using his exposure to Latin from college, Auger is able to do the same with his Latin students as well. Auger said, “I would like my students to be able to learn something from my class that they can use in real life outside the classroom.”
Embracing Walpole High School and everything it has to offer, Auger continues to positively impact his students while also looking to the future with high hopes.
