Upper School World Languages teacher Sebastien Merle has exemplified a positive radiance while teaching French II, III, and IV for the past three years.

In his teaching, Merle not only sought to deepen students’ understanding of the French language, but he also amplified a variety of perspectives embedded within French culture. Junior Emily White, one of Merle’s advisees and an AP French student, shared, “We explored a lot of countries outside of just France and their cultures. I got a diverse array of opinions, viewpoints and places.” Ranging from the occasional French song analysis to one of his intense Blooket games, Merle cultivated a fun environment within the classroom, a testament to his genuine passion and dedication to his students’ learning.

“I’m very proud of all my students this year and I’m really excited for them to keep learning French and to see where that takes them,” Merle said.

Upper School Human Development Teacher and Coordinator Stephanie Monteleone remarked, “I always enjoyed the conversations that we had, and also I just feel like we laughed a lot. He always had something positive and funny to say.”

As Merle ventures beyond Poly, we hope he’ll continue to fuel an enthusiasm for French language and culture as he has here at Poly.