For as long as he can remember, Benjamin Gott has been passionate about education, writing, and organizing—a perfect blend of interests to bring to his work with In Order to Succeed! Throughout a teaching career of almost twenty years, he has worked with students both inside and outside of the classroom to help develop their skills as readers, writers, and analytical thinkers and to coach and encourage them to create and maintain successful systems, both at school and at home.
Ben attended The Hotchkiss School and went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts in English and Africana Studies from Bowdoin College. After graduating, he spent several years as an English and reading teacher, the Assistant Director of Admission, and a tutor, coach, and dormitory parent at The Rectory School in Pomfret, Connecticut. In 2007, Ben moved to southern Connecticut, where he began teaching sixth-grade English at Greens Farms Academy in Westport. For thirteen summers, he also served as a teacher in, and later the Director of, the Summer Writing Workshops at Choate Rosemary Hall. In August of 2013, Ben received his Master’s in American Studies from Fairfield University; his thesis explored the intersection of nostalgia, entertainment, and American politics.
When Ben isn’t teaching, he loves to write: so far, he’s completed four young adult thrillers; published dozens of articles, reviews, and essays in both print magazines and online; and released several albums of original songs, all of which are available through his website (www.bengott.com). He also loves to watch horror movies, listen to British New Wave and American R&B music, read novels by the bucketful, and use his trusty labelmaker to keep his Fairfield home as organized as possible.
