A Conversation with Miss Weniger

Living in New York, Bethany Weniger attended TPS as a high school student, and came back for more after grad school! This is her third year teaching E3 Lit Analysis + Comp, College American Lit + Comp, College Brit Lit + Comp, College World Lit + Comp, and Holocaust History Through Lit + Film. 

Eliana: How did you discover TPS, and how long have you been teaching?

Miss Weniger: I was actually a TPS student back in high school! I took some classes my last two years of school, went on a couple mission trips with TPS, and even used to write for the student magazine (way back when it was called The Cracked Pot!) When I graduated grad school, it was the beginning of the COVID pandemic, so I started looking for a remote full-time job, and TPS was the perfect option. I loved my time with TPS all those years ago, so now I’m back for more.

Eliana: That’s so cool! And here you are, giving an interview for your old magazine…that’s for sure an accomplishment. Can you tell me about your family? Do you have any pets? 

Miss Weniger: I live in New York, and my immediate family is quite large–I have four older siblings who are all married with children and two younger sisters who are currently in college. The two younger sisters and I are adopted from China, so that’s why there’s a large age gap between the three of us and the older, married-with-children siblings, but that just means that we’ve had more time to be aunts to our 8 nieces and nephews! And I have one pet–a mini bernadoodle named Mocha (whom many of my students have heard barking in the background during classes). 

Eliana: Which is your favorite era and genre of literature?

Miss Weniger: Oh, it’s so hard to choose! I think my favorite era and genre of lit changes depending on what I’ve just finished reading–I tend to get very excited about whatever I’m currently in the middle of or finishing up–but if I had to pick, my favorite era would probably be 19C British literature, and my favorite genre would be magical realism. These are the two things I love to come back to again and again, and bonus points if a story has both. 

Eliana: Great choices! If you could pick from the TPS catalog any course to enroll in for a day, which one would you choose and why?

Miss Weniger: Such a fun question! It would be cool to take some of the other English teachers’ courses, but I’d probably choose one of the theology or apologetics classes–that’s something I wish I had taken when I was in high school. I think it’s wonderful that TPS students have the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge and faith with courses like that. Honorable mention: the How to Get Away with Murder (Trial Law) course–such a unique and intriguing class!

Eliana: I’m quite curious about the How to Get Away with Murder course as well! What is one challenge and one rewarding aspect of teaching your specific subject?

Miss Weniger: One challenge would definitely be getting students to participate sometimes. There are a variety of reasons students may not participate, and I understand and empathize with them, but I truly want to hear their thoughts and ideas! And students get so much more out of the class when they put something in, so it’s an even greater motive to get students to that point of engagement. As for a rewarding aspect, something that gives me such joy is seeing a student discover love for a new story. It’s fantastic when students tell me that they liked a book more than they thought they would, that they want to go ahead and read the rest of it over the break, or if they ask for recommendations for similar stories. It’s not something that determines a grade or even something quantitative, but it’s such a special moment of specific growth that I really value.  

Eliana: Very understandable! There’s nothing quite like that feeling of excitement when you recommend a book to someone and they end up loving it. Do you have any random or unique talents?

Miss Weniger: Not necessarily a talent–maybe something surprising–but I worked at Starbucks once upon a brief time and took a certification course so I am actually a Starbucks Coffee Master! (And I make a pretty good cappuccino…) 

Eliana: That’s so cool! I know a lot of TPSers love Starbucks, myself included. If you could choose any fictional world to live in, where would you go?

Miss Weniger: Definitely the world of Violet Evergarden. It’s beautifully crafted, and I would absolutely love to work as one of the Auto Memory Dolls letter writers–handwritten letters are my favorite. 

Eliana: I haven’t read that one, but it sounds really cool! TPS, you heard her, go check out Violet Evergarden. What made you decide to become an English teacher?

Miss Weniger: All throughout college and even up until my last year of grad school, I went back and forth on what I wanted to “be when I grew up” and changed my mind several times, but when I really simplified things, I knew that I loved reading, writing, talking about literature, and helping people learn new things. Then, teaching was the natural career path for being able to make a living doing some of those things I loved. 

Eliana: Finally, what Bible verse would you like to share with the TPS community and why?

Miss Weniger: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33. It’s so easy to get caught up in the things that are happening all around us here on earth, to be consumed by them, overwhelmed by them, frightened or anxious or weary, but this verse is such a good reminder that He has already overcome the world, and that we can have peace in Him. I also love that “take heart” is written not as a question, suggestion, or passive thought, but as a command, a directive, an occasion to rise to, something that we must encourage ourselves and each other to continuously do. Take heart in Him because He is so much greater than everything else.