Poly welcomes Fred Montas as a new member of the English faculty this school year. Montas carries with him a long history of teaching, coaching, and community building. In many ways, he isn’t so different from the students he teaches. Like many of us, he is a born and raised New Yorker: he attended high school at Saint Francis Prep in Queens.
Montas is passionate about “working with young people” and “helping kids learn, helping kids get excited about new ideas, and learning from kids, too.” This passion began early, ever since he was an eighth grader who would teach younger elementary school kids basketball. He shares that his experience being a basketball coach has translated into the classroom in many ways, and that he tries to “treat the classroom like [he] would treat [his] basketball team” in order to “build that sense of team culture, team spirit.” He believes that learning is “not a solitary activity, and that there is a lot to be gained from learning in community.” In his classroom, he hopes to create “a sense of camaraderie amongst students,” enabling them to realize that “everyone has a voice, and everyone can contribute,” and then pass these values forward.
Montas would describe his teaching style as “questioning.” Rather than simply delivering answers, he encourages students to ask their own questions, wrestle with complexity, and explore how critical thinking applies to understanding society. His goal is to teach students that “learning is challenging in itself” and that if it is “comfortable and easy, you’re probably not learning.” He motivates students to push themselves “to get to that slightly uncomfortable place where learning actually happens, and to enjoy that, and to realize you can do it with other people.” He hopes to not just teach his students, but instill within them “an appreciation, and love for learning.”
Twenty-seven years ago, Montas was in Syracuse, New York, where he built a career as an English teacher, department chair, and head of upper school at Manlius Pebble Hill School. After six years in administration, however, he felt the pull of home again: “I wanted to come back to New York City to be closer to family, and I also knew I wanted to be in the classroom teaching,” Montas said.
Since Montas arrived at Poly, two things have stood out to him: the warmth and the “sense of authenticity” in the community. At his previous school, Montas helped solidify these values in that community, and was struck to find them so prevalent at Poly. “These values are very important to me,” he reflected, “and I hope to learn more about the school throughout this year.
When he isn’t teaching, Montas enjoys playing the piano, and he is an avid reader. He is especially excited to teach many of his favorite works of literature in his Modernism elective, such as works by Franz Kafka and Virginia Woolf. For students looking for a good read, he recommends “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, a work that explores the ways our minds make decisions — sometimes carefully, sometimes instinctively.
From basketball courts to the English classroom, Montas carries the same belief: learning should challenge us, connect us, and bring out the best in us. He cares deeply about inspiring students and helping young minds discover their own love for learning and collaboration. Many of his former students still keep in touch — a testament to the relationships and impact he builds through teaching. Now, as he settles into life at Poly, Montas looks forward to creating those same lasting connections here. With a smile, he adds, “I’m looking forward to Homecoming and seeing some of the games.”
