As Craig’s students spend more time on online classes than in real life (or it seems), they may have missed a new face among Craig’s staff.

She is an adventurous soul who has traveled across the world and back. 

Her name is Amy Lewison, and she joins Craig’s English department.

From the small town of Oak Creek near Milwaukee, Ms. Lewison received her undergraduate degree at Iowa State University with a double major in English and women’s/gender studies.

She always has been some sort of educator, whether it was giving violin lessons or tutoring college athletes. 

This led her to an interest in teaching. She received her master’s degree in English education at UW-Madison. 

From there, she traveled the world.

For two years, she taught English in Etchujima, Japan. 

She recalls that the school was heated with kerosene lamps.

“Now and then we would turn the heaters off and open the windows open so that no one would get kerosine poisoning,” she said. “Students would be cold, then warm, then cold again, so one teacher came up with a way to keep everyone warm.”

But they found a way to have fun. “Many of the first through ninth graders that I taught were singing ‘Walking in a Winter Wonderland’ while huddled in a shivering group,” she recalled.

During her time in Japan, Ms. Lewison grew in her conversational Japanese along with her English.

Her new journey has taken her to Craig. She teaches English 12, English 11, and Freshman Seminar. 

Her inspiration for going into teaching was her Aunt Brenda. 

“She encouraged me to attempt new possibilities,” she says. “I don’t think I would be where I was today without trying new things.”

Along with a passion for English and for learning, Ms. Lewison tries to be open-minded. “I try as hard as I can to be kind to people and try to understand their situation,” she says.

She confessed to feeling upset when a student doesn’t have an assignment done. 

“But then I email them to ask about their predicament to better understand where they are coming from,” she says.

Ms. Lewison has always valued education and the academic environment. 

Her favorite part of her job is helping students write. “When I help students write, I love helping them realize they are good at writing,” she says.

At Craig, she loves the community of connection among the teachers. She takes note of the many students that put effort into her assignments even if they might be nervous or confused.

She encourages her students to “try new things and take risks because it will help you understand new people.”

She also suggests that students use an assignment notebook to help keep track of homework throughout the day.

Always willing to try new things, Ms. Lewison is thinking about coaching forensics or debate, but not until her second year. 

“The circumstances of COVID 19 mixed with being a new teacher at Craig is a little overwhelming,” she says.

To deal with pandemic and first-year teaching stress, Ms. Lewison ventures outdoors. She counts camping, going on walks, and biking as three of her favorite activities.

“Ever since I was in middle school, I loved listening to music on my iPod while going on walks,” she says. “Even now, no matter how overworked I am, I go on walks even during late hours.”

Ms. Lewison takes advantage of Madison’s bike trails like the Bike City Trail or the Cannonball Loop.

Despite her travels half a world away, this avid adventurer isn’t done. She hopes to travel to fascinating places in Asia such as Russia or Vietnam. 

“When I lived in Japan, I was told about the beautiful places to kayak in Vietnam,” she says.

When she isn’t dreaming of her next adventure abroad, she enjoys more down-to-earth pleasures like a cup of coffee, “something,” she says, “I just can’t live without!”

“I spend too much on it, but it is totally worth it,” she said. 

Her favorite? Columbian medium roast.

Her favorite books include The Awakening by Kate Chopin and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, a graphic novel about a young girl’s life in Iran.

Coraline is one of Ms. Lewison’s favorite movies. “I watch it every fall,” she says.

Another interesting fact about Ms. Lewison is that she owns a three dimensional printed tooth. 

“The future is now!” she says.

And for Ms. Lewison, that future is about establishing herself at Craig.