The son of two independent school educators, David Griffin grew up witnessing firsthand the complexities of teaching children and young adults—so much so that he and his two best friends, also children of educators, swore they would never become teachers themselves. It wasn’t until college, however, that David realized just how deep his appreciation for passionate educators ran.

David arrived at Harvard University uncertain of his path. He initially gravitated toward math and science but found himself unhappy in large, impersonal lecture courses. Eventually, history and English professors whose classes were close-knit and energetic inspired him to major in History and Literature. Outside the classroom, David tutored Boston elementary and middle school students in an after-school program and led summer camping trips for middle and high school students. His senior thesis examined a handwritten “newspaper” published by girls in the years following the Civil War, allowing him to explore how they wrote themselves from childhood into adulthood at a time when adolescence was just beginning to emerge as a concept. These experiences working with young people, paired with a deepening passion for writing and learning, led David to become an educator.

David came to Winsor as an English teacher after spending seven years at Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey. Since joining the school, he has also served as a class dean and now serves as interim head of Upper School.

Winsor’s “deeply caring and committed” community, along with the value the school places on English education—reflected in its one-on-one English conference system—first drew David to the school. In many ways, Winsor brought him full circle by giving him the opportunity to work with students “who are writing themselves into adulthood,” an idea central to his senior thesis.

The opportunity to support Winsor students personally as well as academically has kept David deeply engaged in both teaching and administrative work. “My educational experiences taught me that just as much of an education occurs outside the walls of a classroom as inside,” he says.