"Leadership takes many different forms and makes use of many different strengths. I would say that in order to give back, try to understand both what you have to give and what you hope to gain from an experience so that that you can most help and be helped by the service you choose."

Tim Silverman graduated from RCDS in 1989 and went on to receive a BA in Spanish from Haverford College. In 1993, he moved to California to pursue a career in Hotel Management. He then pivoted from the hospitality industry, taking a job teaching Spanish at the Landon School for Boys in Bethesda, Maryland, where he also coached hockey and lacrosse. While at Landon, he spent his summers working for Landon-in-Spain, teaching groups of Americans in Segovia.  In 2001, he left teaching to obtain a social work degree at Columbia University and spent the next seven years working in a school-based, OMH-licensed clinic at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. In 2010, he returned to his alma mater, RCDS, where he is a Middle School Spanish teacher and advisor, co-head of peer leadership, assistant varsity lacrosse coach, and counselor for students in the Upper School.

Do you have a favorite memory or class from your time at RCDS?
When I think back over my time at RCDS, two classes stand out in my mind: Mr. Rasmusen's (Razz) fifth grade social studies class and, for very different reasons, Mr. Wieman's senior elective titled 20th Century Reform Movements. Mr. Razz made learning so much fun, and, to this day, I have to say MesopoTAMia with exaggerated emphasis on the TAME (you'd be surprised how much MesopoTAMia comes up in conversation these days!). Mr. Wieman treated us like college students both with his syllabus and in our seminar style-class discussions. During my freshman year of college, I realized just how prepared I was.  

You graduated in 1989, which means you just celebrated your 30th reunion. What was the most memorable part about Wildcat Weekend for you? 
Five years ago, we had a big turnout for our 25th, and it was WONDERFUL to see so many old friends. Given that my current employment keeps me pretty up to date regarding the goings on at RCDS these days, the most memorable part for me was reconnecting with old friends.  

What inspires you most about teaching at RCDS?
For me, what I am doing is far less important than the people with whom I do it.  I love teaching at RCDS because of the people—both adults and children—with whom I spend my days (and often evenings too!). 

What is the most exciting change you have seen at RCDS since your time as a student?
The campus provides a completely different experience today than it did back then. We spent 15 minutes of every lacrosse practice looking for balls in the bushes and moving goals around the field so as not to wear out the grass. The "fitness center" when I was in school was one nautilus weight machine in the room that now houses Thom O'Grady and Tim Codispodi's office in the field house. Students today move from building to building with beautiful and modern spaces that didn't exist 30 years ago. With that said, at the heart of an RCDS education are the relationships that you develop with your teachers, coaches, and classmates. That is still true today.  

As a peer leadership director, what advice can you give to students or alumni who are interested in being positive role models and giving back to their communities?
Leadership takes many different forms and makes use of many different strengths. I would say that in order to give back, try to understand both what you have to give and what you hope to gain from an experience so that that you can most help and be helped by the service you choose.