Matt Piercy wants students to leave his classroom feeling better than when they arrived. As an ELL and Capstone teacher at HPA, he helps students develop their English skills while building the confidence to speak up and take chances. Having taught in international schools for most of his career, Piercy values the perspectives students bring from around the world.
Here, he shares his approach to teaching, the moments that make him proud and how HPA becomes a second home.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you’re from?
My name is Matt Piercy, and I teach ELL and Capstone here at HPA. Where I’m from is a little hard to say. I’ve lived in a lot of places around the world, but I consider Hawaiʻi home.
What drew you to teaching English language learners?
What interested me most was the opportunity to be with students from all across the world. I’ve taught in international schools for most of my career, and I love being with students from other places. I appreciate the perspectives they bring, their good manners and their desire to learn.
What do you enjoy most about teaching ELL students?
I enjoy seeing their growth over time. It’s very noticeable in how well they read, write, speak and understand English. And then there are the relationships, of course. I love building relationships with all students, but I especially enjoy getting to know students who come from different backgrounds.
How do you help students become more confident speaking English?
Practice. The conversational nature of our daily classes gives students opportunities to become more comfortable making mistakes and to practice speaking.
What do students learn in your classroom beyond English?
It’s a lot more than just English that we’re learning. It’s about how we become better people. How do we become more responsible, more communicative and more collaborative? How do we learn to take more risks and become comfortable with that? And how do we think about other people besides ourselves?
I love being with students from other places. I appreciate the perspectives they bring, their good manners and their desire to learn.”
What are some memorable experiences you’ve shared with your students?
Memorable teaching moments happen all the time. Experiences outside the classroom especially stand out. Most recently, we went to the Isaacs Art Center, and that was very memorable. Last year and the year before, students spent time in the HPA garden, growing things, taking care of them and watching the plants grow. Those experiences stay with me.
What makes you feel proud as a teacher?
I feel most proud when I see that students want to enter the classroom. When they leave, they’re thankful, and hopefully they’re in a better place than they were when they came in. If I can just bend their day in a positive way, that makes me feel proud.
What have you learned from your students?
Whether I’m teaching international or day students, I’m learning all the time. One thing I’ve learned is the importance of patience and not making assumptions. It’s valuable to grow ever more patient and not assume what someone knows or can do, but to give them an opportunity to develop over time.
How do international students contribute to the HPA community?
Diversity is one of the things that keeps us here at HPA, and international students add a tremendous amount. It’s wonderful to see day students’ perspectives change as they spend time with students who speak different languages, may believe different things and have different ways of living. We’re one HPA Ka Makani community, with many different backgrounds represented. It’s a very welcoming atmosphere.
What advice would you give a student who is nervous about speaking English?
In my own experience learning another language, I was very hesitant to speak. I watched my reading and understanding develop, but my speaking progressed slowly because I didn’t want to take the risk. My advice would be to take a chance here, because we’re all learning English, myself included. We’re all going to get better if we practice more.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with families?
I’d like to share a note of appreciation. Thank you for trusting us at HPA. Thank you for trusting us with your child and allowing them to experience something different that will be transformative. It truly will be a second home for them. They are taken care of, and there are so many amazing opportunities here to develop the whole self.
Interview conducted by Leon. K. ’27 as part of HPA’s Social Media and Marketing class.