BY SAMANTHA WANG ‘21
Ms. Berndt (left) and Dr. Harwood (right)
Ms. Berndt has been teaching at St. Mark’s School since 2010. In her ten years here, she has taught Advanced Biology, Advanced Biotechnology, and Anatomy. Her Advanced Biology is considered one of the most challenging courses offered at St. Mark’s. The difficulty of this course is not only because of the sophisticated class materials but also due to Ms. Berndt’s unique Socratic method of teaching—always asking students why thus forcing them to realize their gaps in their understanding and knowledge.
Although the massive number of feedback comments, (most being her provocative questions), in every bio-portfolio submission sometimes feels intimidating to her students, it is in this way Ms. Berndt encourages her students to dive deeper in every unit and prompts them to learn actively to understand what they miss. I admit that Ms. Berndt’s Advanced Biology is one of the harshest classes I’ve ever taken, but thinking about all the joy and tears I had in that class, I am extremely grateful for Ms. Berndt’s comments, which led me to truly devote myself to my Biology studies whether immersing myself in the extended reading in the cancer unit or taking a one-take video over and over again to explain how our digestive system functions from eating a piece of toast.
Ms. Berndt has also inspired the whole St. Mark’s Community by her passion and enthusiasm in a variety of activities. Besides being a science faculty member, she has been a dorm parent, the director of Vth Form Lion Term, Department Head and founder of the STEM Fellowship program, coach for girls Thirds Field Hockey, JV Ice-hockey, and JV Lacrosse. Her hot chocolate and chats before mid-terms in the dorm, the cheering she did for her sports teams and all the patience and energy she put into designing V Form Lion Term will be indelible memories for me, and I believe for many others as well. Ms. Berndt brought so much love and warmth to St. Mark’s.
Ms. Berndt is leaving St. Mark’s to join the Laurel School in Shaker Heights Ohio as the Director of their Upper School. The St. Mark’s Community is grateful for everything she has done for us. Ms. Berndt will definitely be missed by her students,fellow teachers, athletics teams, and dorms and all those who knew her and we wish her all the best in her new school!
