Hannah Ryde

Since my transformative experience as a student at Maine Coast Semester 48, I’ve been hooked on experiential education, place-based learning, and community living. Working as a counselor at Waukeela Camp for Girls and studying abroad in Kathmandu, Nepal with the School for International Training further ignited my interest in working with adolescents and inspired me to consider the myriad approaches to teaching and learning. 

After graduating from college, I decided to pursue a career in teaching and set out to explore different settings for education. I worked as a Program Coordinator for Tufts Wilderness Orientation, an Environmental Educator at The Ecology School, a Resident Wilderness Educator at The Outdoor Academy, and a Field Instructor at Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, prior to becoming a Teaching Fellow, and later, an English Teacher, at Maine Coast Semester. Through my experiences working as an educator in a variety of residential and outdoor settings, my enthusiasm for delving into sense of place and sense of self with students in and out of the classroom has remained consistent. I enjoy helping students hone their voices and explore their identities and passions. I also value the opportunity to cultivate meaningful relationships with students through study, work, and play. 

In addition to teaching Literature and the Land, I help plan and organize School Meeting, a weekly, student-facilitated meeting about social justice and community living, and can often be found exploring Chewonki Neck by foot or on skis. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, cooking, hiking, biking, photography, and reading.

Besides teaching at Maine Coast Semester, I coach youth Nordic skiing and am working towards a master’s degree in English at the Bread Loaf School of English. I’m also a big fan of ice cream, dogs, snow, and the color blue!