Molding the future: Brewster Burns, Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School

Photo: Sharon Bouchard

Brewster Burns

PARIS — When both of your parents are teachers the logical path for a young man would be to follow in his parents footsteps. For Brewster Burns, it took a little more thought before he came to that conclusion.

“When I was a sophomore at Colby College I was struggling a bit about my future,” said Burns. “Then I saw a posting on a bulletin board about the merits of teaching and that’s when I started thinking about teaching as a career.”

He didn’t start teaching immediately after graduating from college, but instead spent three or four years training horses for harness racing and occasionally being the driver on the sulky.

Burns now has 25 years of experience teaching at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School. He is currently teaching ninth grade English.

On his first day of teaching, Burns found he was trying to create order out of chaos.

“I was teaching in one of the trailer classrooms,” recalled Burns.

“I tried to emulate my dad, who I had as a teacher for two years. I put the tables in a circle and tried to set up a universe in a trailer. I created lesson plans that I thought were wonderful; now looking back, I find them ridiculous. I got along well with the students, and that helped make it all work out.”

The first day of school now is not as daunting, says Burns, but “it is nerve wracking."

"It can be tough because I try doing so much. I begin by remembering my failures and successes of the previous year and try to eliminate the failures and focus on the successes.”

Burns doesn’t have a favorite part of the school day. “I don’t watch the clock waiting for the day to end,” he said.

“I really like kids and I like to get to know them. I like to see them engaged in trying to improve and become better people. Kids are interesting and they are trying to become better and that’s valuable and rewarding.”

Burns and his brother were raised in Waterford doing typical childhood things like playing sports and playing in the woods. With both parents being teachers, he learned the value placed on education at a young age.

“In freshman biology, I got a D-plus and my father made me sit at the dining room table for one-and-a-half hours every night whether I had homework or not,” said Burns. “It worked – I brought the grade up.”

Burns lives in Hebron with his wife, Cari, who is also in education as principal of Poland Regional High School. They have a 15-year-old son, Christopher and a 13-year-old daughter, Caroline.

Summers and vacations will find Burns tackling projects around the house, on the golf course or driving his brother’s or his dad’s horses.

“I spend some time watching movies and reading. Vacations are the only time I have to read.”

Even during the downtime Burns’ thoughts never stray too far from the state of educating the kids.

“I do worry about educational reform because it has been more about the schools and the teachers,” said Burns.

“I think that’s the wrong approach. The schools will reach real potential when we can help the students reach their full potential.”