Allyah Day & Anna Burtnett

A couple of weeks ago we scheduled an interview with an Ipswich High School special education teacher named Greg Bergeron. We took turns asking questions we had prepared and learned a lot about him through his responses. Growing up as a kid, Mr. Bergeron didn’t know what he wanted to be, and he changed his mind many times. While in college he studied political science and philosophy, but he didn’t realize he wanted to be a teacher until he was in his mid-twenties.  

Mr. Bergeron has been a teacher for about ten years, and he loves working with students, particularly in small groups. He said, “When I see a student find success on a project, a paper, or a specific skill in math, they have that moment where everything clicks and they understand and achieve a goal. It’s a very rewarding experience for me and that is what keeps me going throughout the year.” Mr. Bergeron teaches history, English, and math, and he also works with students who struggle with certain skills to help them develop these skills to become successful students. 

We asked Mr. Bergeron what he enjoyed doing in his free time. He explained that a lot of his options were eliminated because of COVID-19, which mostly everyone can relate to. Outside of school, he likes to go golfing and watch Netflix shows. He also likes to go on walks or hikes to get fresh air. He added, “I love climbing. When you climb a mountain it’s really challenging. There are times you get halfway up the mountain and you think in your head, oh my God, I just want to stop, but then you persist, you persevere, and you reach the summit, and it’s just really satisfying and I love that feeling.”

In addition to spending time outdoors, Mr. Bergeron likes to listen to modern folk and classical music. He sometimes plays the harmonica and guitar but doesn’t like the sound of his voice when singing. He isn’t the type of person to pay attention to band names or song titles. That being said, if a song comes on, he will just listen and sing the song if he likes it without even knowing the name. 

Speaking of not knowing names, this reminds me (Allyah) of sophomore year when I had a class with Mr. Bergeron. He came up for a nickname for every student in the class, but hasn’t yet given me a nickname. When I reminded him of this, he assured me he will know my nickname by my graduation. I’m curious to see what he comes up with!