Jeffrey Hunter Ertel
„If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.”
William Blake
I was born in Virginia, but went to university in North Carolina where I received a BA in philosophy and literature, as well as a minor in classical studies. After working as a teacher in the US for a year, I specialized in TEFL and moved to Hungary and have been living here the past three years. Some of my hobbies outside of teaching include hiking and enjoying the outdoors, reading, cartography, and music. Before coming to Hungary, my educational ventures included working as an assistant teacher on philosophy courses (with a focus on pedagogy), tutoring underprivileged children, and working as a substitute teacher in the public school system. Outside of teaching I have had a wide range of jobs from clerk in the US navy, farmhand, tour guide in an aquarium, and music director at a radio station.
Why Kőrösi?
I was drawn to the schools’ long history of bilingual education, as well as its central history in Hungarian bilingual education. The school’s student-focused education mission statement is also well aligned with my personal views on education, and I am excited to be part of a school that is growing and expanding.
Why IB?
I am attracted to the IB program’s focus on developing a more comprehensive education, with a focus on uniting education into one experience, rather than a series of classes. Thus I am excited to teach the Theory of Knowledge class, where I will help to bring together different disciplines that might not typically consider one another. As a student of philosophy, our ToK class will look critically at the tough topics of today’s world and help the students to better navigate this increasingly confusing world they are inheriting.