History Became a Reality

Erika (Prince) Della Calce recalls playing school with her cousins as a child—always led by her as the teacher. “I always liked school, and I knew I wanted to keep doing this.”

When Della Calce was a high school student herself, her ninth-grade world history teacher helped her discover the subject she wanted to teach one day.

“I still use some of his activities and lesson styles because they were so enjoyable and effective,” she says. “That was a really positive influence and pushed me along the history path.”

Della Calce earned her B.A. in History and Secondary Education from Wheaton College in Massachusetts. As she neared graduation, she was encouraged to explore a Fulbright Scholarship and landed an English Teaching Assistantship position in Turkey.

“I was at Ankara Social Science University, a graduate school in the capitol, and ended up working with governors candidates, which are like mayors for them, but they get appointed instead of elected,” she says. “I was teaching English to the future mayors of the provinces of Turkey.” 

Her position in Turkey allowed her time to travel, which she took advantage of. One trip to Germany and Austria served as the inspiration behind her latest Winterim, in which she and Mathematics Teacher Tyler Christie led a group of students to several castles and notable architectural sites through Bavaria. 

Toward the end of her Fulbright, Della Calce sought teaching opportunities stateside. She accepted a position in the Teaching Fellowship Program at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. There, she became fond of teaching in a private school environment, which led her to Forman in 2017 following her fellowship. Today, Della Calce is the Chair of the History and Social Sciences Department. She previously held roles as Model UN Advisor, Weekend Activities Coordinator, and Cross Country and Ultimate Frisbee Coach. 

Della Calce has taught various history classes throughout her time at Forman and appreciates the opportunity to offer students electives that are focused on particular topics.

“Twentieth-century fascism is a current favorite,” she says. “I am very excited about my Fourteenth Amendment course, and I really enjoyed it when we were running the Cambridge International course. That was really special. I saw those kids every single day.”

Since joining Forman, Della Calce has adapted her teaching style to effectively educate students with learning differences. She says learning to do so made her a better educator. 

“You have to be really intentional with what you’re actually trying to do, how you communicate the information and teach the content,” she says. “It was a great challenge for me coming from a very rigorous high level of readiness boarding school to totally re-adapting the supports that I was providing—breaking down the structures of my assignments. It was great for me as a teacher to examine what I’m actually doing.”

Throughout her courses, she likes to diversify her assessment styles—acknowledging that different assessments may work better for different students. 

“I like to present different opportunities for students to show what they know,” she says. “Within a single course, I give students the opportunity to practice a skill over time and reapply it … Writing an essay is a valuable skill for them to have, but there are also other ways to use evidence to prove an argument, whether that is doing a debate or creating a piece of art.” 

She has received positive feedback from students, with some taking as many classes with her as they can. 

“I have had students share with me that they like the approach of how I teach them the material,” she says. “Especially the students who are coming from public schools and are seeing a more individualized approach, beyond the slideshow-as-the-crutch technique.”

Outside of the classroom, Della Calce relishes in Forman’s annual events and activities. 

“I always like Strawberry Fest because there is beautiful weather, things are wrapping up, and everyone has a good time. I enjoy the first Green and Gold competition of the year; energy is high in a totally different way,” she says, smiling at the thought. “I also like attending the theater performances in particular because they are such evident spectacles of what our kids can do and the dedication of our faculty involved in all of that.” 

Della Calce is a Primary Houseparent in Hopkins Dorm, where she lives with her husband, Anthony, and her daughter, Allegra. She has lived on campus since starting at Forman and says she likes supporting students as they navigate living at a boarding school.

“Getting to know students more than just in the bounds of the academic day is really unique and special,” she notes. “It allows you to have a greater influence, positively shaping young minds.”

Living in dorms has also allowed Della Calce to express her creativity with her students. 

“I’m a crafty gal, and I like painting,” she says. “I have turned my dorms into my personal galleries a little bit and hung my paintings around. That is something I like to do to destress and have fun.” She adds that hiking with her family in the local area helps her recharge.

As she looks ahead toward the future of Forman and her teaching career, she says she is excited.

“I remember my interview day, the [Visual and Performing Arts Center] was still covered in the Tyvek® siding. It wasn’t operational yet,” she says. “Thinking about being here so far for the life span of that building and about what we’re building physically and growing metaphorically is a lot of fun.”