When thinking of the joys of seminar, students think of Zach Pickard. This literary wizard, who earned his B.A. from the University of King’s College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Toronto, fills teenage minds with philosophical theories and works of literature that have shaped entire eras. Whether it’s his engaging seminar classes, which encourage students to question everything they know, or his friendly encounters in the hallways, Zach Pickard is a beloved figure among his seminarians.
When asked what initially drove him to literature, Zach confessed that it wasn’t an immediate calling. In fact, as a college student, he wasn’t entirely sure what career path he wanted to pursue. He jokes, saying, “For a while I thought I was gonna be a cook, because that was my job. Towards the latter half of my career, I started to take more literature classes and really, really liked them.” Although Zach had always enjoyed reading as a child, he didn’t find it unusual; he never saw it as odd to spend hours immersed in his books. This interest in literature was nourished when he stepped into a 9th grade classroom. While reflecting on his experiences teaching high school literature, he added, “There’s a sort of wildness to teaching teenagers that I have never experienced before,” highlighting what drives him to appreciate the unique ideas that young minds hold.
Though Zach has read countless books spanning various genres, he doesn’t claim to have a single favorite. That said, he did reveal a book that resonates with him on a deeper emotional level, saying it “does something to me emotionally that no other book does.” “For a long time, I used to answer, when people would press me, Anna Karenina by Tolstoy […] just because that’s the book that has given me the most vivid sense of joy.” Despite the book’s sad ending, it stands out as one that deeply stirs him.
On the topic of joy and excitement, Zach’s relationship with literature was beginning to fizzle out when he stumbled upon an advertisement to teach high school students at Bard Queens. After teaching at selective colleges, he found many of his students “very smart but ultimately very boring.” He noted that these students were “trained to do what a teacher likes,” meaning they tended to think more within the box of what their instructors valued, rather than thinking critically or engaging with the material in a meaningful way. In contrast, teaching at BHSECQ brought a refreshing change. “When I came to teach here, […] I was faced with this room of 14-year-olds who were not trained at all in terms of what I was asking them to do […] there was something really exciting about that,” Zach explained. The students’ unfiltered and often surprising ideas taught him to become “more open-minded” in his approach to literature and teaching.
When discussing the impact literature has had on his life, Zach initially offered the typical “standard teacher answer” but then dove into something far more significant. He shared that what he truly appreciates about literature is its ability to connect us to our senses and, by extension, to one another. “Literature involves taking a deep dive into other people’s subjectivity, and so it teaches you empathy. You spend 400 pages in someone else’s life, and that helps you step out of your own.” He continues on to say that living in someone else’s problems and dissecting what it is that makes a character’s life challenging has made him more empathetic. In his words, teaching literature has allowed him to release the perspective that “just because someone is different from me and has different values from me, that they are bad or wrong.” He further explained how literature has expanded his worldview, helping him realize that “it’s never a person’s individual fault that something is wrong and evil, and that the world is bad, it’s always these larger forces that are pushing us all around.”
When asked about any students or teachers who made an impact on him, Zach shared that both his former students and past educators have left lasting impressions. Reflecting on teachers who shaped him, he recalled one professor who dismissed class when students hadn’t done the reading, making the point of something along the lines of, “If you don’t work, I can’t teach.” Zach found this passion and tough love to be inspiring, especially in how it made him reflect on the type of teacher he wanted to become. He also fondly remembered a high school teacher who taught both philosophy and women’s studies — subjects not often offered at the time. She taught what interested her and Zach appreciated that. There’s something magical about being around someone so deeply passionate about their subject, as it tends to inspire others to find that same enthusiasm for their own pursuits. On the student front, Zach reflected on a former student who continues to make an impact in his life. “I just wrote a letter to a former student – like an actual letter letter – who writes me actual letters by hand and sends them to me about every year or so,” he shared. Zach’s most memorable students aren’t always the ones with the highest grades, but those with unique personalities or a spark that shines through, despite struggles. Relationships, especially the most meaningful ones, tend to stem from a place of connection that doesn’t form from impressive ideas, but rather a feeling of safety and satisfaction when spending time with said person.
As for the interpretive nature of literature, Zach shared that people often gravitate toward books that are directly applicable to their own lives. When asked if books are interpreted by people in the way that is relevant to their lives, he mentions how people often stick to comfort when in reality, that’s not how you grow. By saying that “literature is not just a story of a person, it’s a story of people and can be applied to many things,” he connects to his aforementioned point that things can, and sometimes should be, looked at from a wider view. When a book is read, and is very applicable to your life, you tend to pick out what you need to hear, especially if it’s a good kind of general book that holds many messages. However, he points out that “often, it’s a book that is not obviously a life like yours that is going to give you something you’ve never heard before that will be helpful in your life.” Refusing to step outside of one’s comfort is the “mistake people often make when trying to better themselves,” they don’t want to sit in their discomfort to come out better on the other side. Zach believes that people are “looking for something they already know,” acknowledging that people tend to avoid uncomfortable ideas or truths that challenge their existing beliefs. The process of self-improvement, according to Zach, often requires confronting discomfort.
In the classroom, Zach’s penchant for puns often provides a necessary moment of humor. When asked which literary character he would spend a day with, he immediately thought of the plays of Oscar Wilde. Zach mentions how Wilde’s characters are “full of wit, have these great comebacks, and everyone is super on it and saucy and sarcastic and knows just what to say at the right moment;” traits that Zach finds particularly engaging, stating, “I would want to be in that world if I could keep up.” However, when trying to pin-point a specific answer, Pickard explains that he’s “not really answering the question of who I would like to spend the day with, but who I would like to spend the day as. And I think I would like to be a character in a play by Oscar Wilde.”
From making puns at the right moment to guiding students through the twists and turns of classic novels, he’s got a knack for keeping things interesting. He may not have a favorite book (because picking one is impossible), but his ability to make literature feel fresh is what makes him stand out. As for a final word of wisdom? When asked if he had any last thoughts to share, Zach responded with a giggle, “Nope.”