Teaching Life Skills Beyond the School Gymnasium

“Building strong relationships with the students and being positive role models provides an opportunity for success outside of the class, " said Elliot and Payten. “We just want every kid who leaves here to understand what it means to give effort and work hard towards something. We want them to know what it means to have great sportsmanship and have fun playing games; along with the idea of growing, failing, and learning in all aspects.” 

Prior to joining Hamden Hall for the 2025-2026 academic year, Elliot served as the Sports and Recreation Director at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven. He is also a Hamden Hall alumnus and Lifer, graduating in 2017. Payten worked as a physical education teacher at Achievement First Elementary School in Bridgeport.

Payten said he knew he wanted to be a teacher since high school. He shared that the chance to be a role model for younger students is very important to him and said that Hamden Hall provides that opportunity as the environment and culture is welcoming. Elliot noted that he was captivated by sports and recreation as a career path and having the chance to return to Hamden Hall excited him as the former Lower School physical education teacher Mark McEachern was one of his favorite teachers who also left a positive impact. 

With Mr. McEachern’s retirement at the end of the last school year, both Elliot and Payten knew that keeping elements of the established program was important, but incorporating new activities will keep the curriculum growing over time. They will be maintaining the timeless traditions of the MayPole Assembly with Grade 2, Jump Rope for Heart/Kids’ Heart Challenge for the American Heart Association, the running tags and toe tokens for the fitness program, and some of the classic fitness activities. Some of their favorite activities with the students so far have been games of castle ball, spike ball, relay races, and any games that rely on teamwork and communication because the outcome is always good and the students get excited when they figure out something together. While they teach separate grades within the Lower School, they both emphasize the importance of meeting each student at their level to support overall success.

Elliot and Payten shared that it has been phenomenal working together as they both have the same energy inside of the gym, but also have the same vision in terms of lesson plans and activities. Motivating students is not a hard task as the students are always eager for the class, especially when there is a challenge involved. Most recently, Elliot and Payten asked the students when they came in to get into a perfect circle around the Hornet in the middle of the gym floor. As the students perfected that task, they would switch the shapes and ask the students to get into a perfect square or triangle. Payten shared that this challenge was his idea, and the students really got into it because they wanted to do well.

As time goes on, both teachers said they want to add more athletic sports into the classes. The students have really enjoyed playing outdoor sports during the fall, and they want to give the students the opportunity to try sports that they may want to participate in when they progress to Middle School or recreationally in their communities. The sports will stay within the seasons such as basketball and volleyball in the winter when they are inside the gym and baseball, lacrosse, and other outdoor offerings in the spring. 

Outside of the gym, Elliot and Payten have been quite involved with other campus activities. Payten is the assistant coach with the Boys’ Varsity Football Team under Coach Joe Linta. Elliot chaperoned the Grade 5 overnight trip to Mystic Seaport back in September, and they both volunteered at the Color Run in October where they coordinated a three-legged race and egg and spoon races with students.