When someone opens Joseph Susick’s door, they are greeted by a series of bells, hanging just low enough to graze the heads of taller students. They will find a wall covered in posters of important literary figures and a small greenhouse’s worth of plants strewn about the place. Susick is an avid gardener, and his green thumb bleeds into his teaching. He had his junior class last year grow radishes, a lesson in how seemingly insignificant or unrelated habits can impact yourself or others in large ways.
There are no schools without teachers. Every teacher is different and specializes in different areas, but the goal is the same: to exchange knowledge between teachers and students. In Revere’s English department, Mr. Joseph Susick, who teaches English 12, Speech, and Drama, is an example of how a teacher can influence students in and out of the class. His teaching philosophy is rooted in engagement, experience, and the belief that education extends beyond the walls of the classroom. His students don’t just learn literature—they learn how to think, how to question, and how to see the world from a broader perspective.
Susick does not put a lot of emphasis on literature in the traditional sense. In his opinion, novels, plays, and poems are just tools—means to help students discover themselves, their life, and their potential. He is more interested in the underlying message of the literary devices and metaphors and allows the students to find themselves in the story. He believes literature should be a mirror, reflecting students’ own experiences, struggles, and ambitions. He believes literature should be a mirror, reflecting students’ own experiences, struggles, and ambitions.
“A lot of people don’t care for Brit Lit… if you can’t put your feet in their shoes, then what’s the point of reading?” Susick said.
One of his most significant assignments is an eight-to-ten-page research paper for seniors, divided into two parts. The first focuses on researching their chosen career—statistics, expectations, and realities. The second is introspective, exploring why they are suited for that path, their strengths, and potential challenges. This project pushes students to seriously consider their futures, going beyond academics to self-discovery. This project pushes students to seriously consider their futures, going beyond academics to self-discovery. It becomes a formative experience, encouraging students to reflect on their goals, talents, and what truly motivates them.
“Everything I do in my class has very little to do with Revere. A lot of it is all about the future, it’s all about connecting. It’s making sure someone who has no earthly business going to college is going to be able to get something out of Brit Lit,” Susick said.
The intention is not lost on his students. Senior Bane Thurman, one of Susick’s students, has picked up on it as well.
“I’m doing my paper about acting. There’s a lot there that I would not know or even think to look for if it weren’t for his direction and his approach to research. I still intend on going this route, but I’m doing it in a much more informed way,” Thurman said.
Susick keeps students engaged with personal anecdotes, weaving his experiences into lessons. Whether recalling college days, his work as a children’s author, or childhood stories, he makes literary themes feel real. Even his early restaurant jobs illustrate hard work and life’s unpredictability. His storytelling ability brings authenticity to his teaching, making abstract themes tangible and applicable.
“I’m showing you how I connect so that you can try to connect in your own way. It reminds me of my uncle, maybe it’ll remind you of your brother or your sister or yourself,” Susick said.
And then there are the costumes. Every year on Halloween or the nearest school day, he arrives in an outrageous outfit, notable for either its accuracy or its absurdity. His mindset toward his costumes stems from his belief that everything he does should be done well.
“If you’re going to cook, cook 180%. If you’re going to dress up, you go full go. Otherwise, why waste the time?” Susick said.
Beyond his students, his colleagues, such as Meghan Lovaty, a fellow English teacher at RHS, also admire his commitment to his craft.
“The Heisman Trophy was a great one. He was completely gold from head to toe all day,” Lovaty said.
Susick is a mentor to many. His unique but personable qualities and methods help bridge the gap between the page and the person, helping students find themselves and what they want from life. Whether it is a research paper, a radish, or an elaborate Halloween costume, Susick makes learning both memorable and meaningful.
