Mr. Kinne spoke about his time at Berkshire and its impact on him and on his family. A South Berkshire County native, his perspective is unique well worth listening to.

See a video interview between Mr. Gulotta and Mr. Kinne here:

See a slideshow of Mr. Kinne and his family here:

See what Mr. Kinne had to say here:

When did you start teaching? When did you know that that was what you wanted to do? 

I came to Berkshire in the fall of 1980.  I always had hoped to be able to give back and be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Where were you teaching before Berkshire? Did you teach anywhere else?

Berkshire has been my sole teaching experience.  This is where I was born and raised so for me I am living where I want to live, and teaching what I love to teach.

What brought you to Berkshire?

I came to the Berkshire campus when I was just a young kid, as my brothers went to Berkshire in 1958.  I always loved the school, and being hired by Mr. Moore was a dream come true for my wife and me.

Do you have any memorable teaching moments with particular classes?

Thirty four years of being under the mountain has given me more memorable moments than any educator could have but being able to teach and coach our daughter Sarah is by far the best gift I have ever received.

What is your specialty, personally? Which courses are your favorites to teach and why?

My specialty is in ecology, along with air and water quality issues.  My favorite course has always been environmental science, which is now an AP course.  This course really allows me to touch the future by educating Berkshire students about how the world works, what issues are facing the planet and giving them the tools to be environmentally literate global citizens.

What kept you here?

This is home to my wife Lynn and me.  We are within twenty minutes of all of our family and friends.  I also love Berkshire School, what it stands for and the type of students we have on this campus.  This is an amazing community.  I recognized right away that Berkshire was the best possible place for me, so why leave what turned out to be the best job I could have?  This is where I have been very fortunate to share my passion for the environment and sports in a school that has demonstrated the same commitment in both areas.

How would you describe your teaching philosophy?

To never forget that I too was once an adolescent student and to treat my students the way I would want to be treated, with respect. 

Could you tell us some of your goals at Berkshire for this year and beyond - for you and your students?

My goal is simple: to always keep learning about the issues facing the environment so that I can give my students the skill set they will need to be part of the solution to the many issues facing the future.  One is never finished learning, and my hope is that my students recognize that they are never a finished product; nor is their teacher.

How do you keep things interesting – for you and for your students?

My discipline is the easiest one to teach, as this is a course that I know the students will never ask why we’re learning this.  The curriculum is about their world and future, so the course is more about hope than interest.

Tell us a little bit about your family.

I come from a large family, five siblings, who all still live in the area, along with many of their children.  So the Kinne family name is alive and well-known in town.  In fact, some of our students think we are related to almost everyone in town.  We are a close family and are very active in sports.  So I am just one of many, and am very proud of that fact.

Finally, can you tell us something about you that might surprise your students.

That I love history and am the keeper of the family archives and genealogy.