Faculty Feature | Alexandra Mitsios

Name: Alexandra Mitsios P'32, '32
Current role & department: Middle School History Faculty
Year you started at Albany Academy: 2011
Alma mater(s) and degrees: Georgia State, BA in History; Mercer University, MA in Teaching

What inspired you to become a teacher?

"I can’t say that one teacher or one person inspired me. I am grateful to be able to reflect on my education, from elementary years to college, and remember several who were amazing examples of what it means to be a teacher. The commonality among them was the environment they created within their classrooms; the discussions they would lead and then allow us to pursue; and knowing that I could always ask them anything." 

What strategies do you use to spark student engagement and creativity in your classroom?

"Questions! I love starting class or a new unit with a really powerful, make them really think about it, question. And the process of learning about History; making history come alive, allowing them to connect with the past."

Is there a particular lesson or project that you especially love to teach? What makes it meaningful for you

and your students?

"I'm currently deeply engaged in developing my History 7 curriculum, which focuses on Early American History up to the Civil War. This period—spanning from colonial times through the antebellum era—often doesn't receive the same level of enthusiasm or attention as other historical periods. The Revolutionary War might capture some interest, and the Civil War certainly does, but the decades in between, along with the complex colonial foundations that shaped our nation, frequently get overlooked or treated as mere stepping stones to "more exciting" events.

Yet this era is absolutely crucial for understanding how America developed its identity, institutions, and the tensions that would eventually lead to the Civil War. From the diverse colonial settlements and their interactions with Indigenous peoples, through the formation of a new republic, the expansion westward, the evolution of slavery, the development of distinct regional cultures, and the growing sectional conflicts—these are the building blocks of American history that deserve far more recognition than they typically receive. And I am loving the challenge of bringing this to life for my students."

Favorite book or movie?

Book: To Kill a Mockingbird 

Movie: Home Alone

If you weren't a teacher, what would you be doing?

"There was a definitive time in my undergrad years that I was very much considering law as a career path. I was also really into architecture. I ended up pursuing teaching because I wanted to be able to find a work-family balance that I didn’t feel would exist in the way I envisioned it. I wanted summers to travel and resemble the way I was able to grow up."

How do you see students growing or evolving during their time at Academy?

"Seeing how students grow and evolve during their time at Academy is perhaps one of the most rewarding things about my job. Having taught at the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh grade levels, I have experienced teaching students at the Lower School level, and teaching them again at the Middle School level. I also love to see how well our Middle Schoolers are prepared for Upper School and beyond. It all really comes full circle each year, sitting at graduation, and reading the program: to see the names of students you remember quite well, pursuing their academic dreams and goals; and sometimes even getting to see where that path leads them in their adult life. It makes me feel old sometimes; but it's also amazing to witness." 

What’s something you’re especially proud of in your career?

"Receiving the Excellence in Teaching award in June of 2020, being surprised by admin at my door to present it. I know this time in everyone’s life was crazy; but switching to virtual while being immunocompromised while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for my students and myself was probably one of the biggest hurdles I’ve faced."