Faculty Feature:
Ben Kaplan

February 14, 2020

We are excited to share with the community that MMFS Upper School Head English Teacher Ben Kaplan co-wrote the miniseries Washington. Produced by Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, it will premiere Sunday, February 16, at 8pm on History Channel. To learn more about this event, click here.

Before becoming a teacher, Ben wrote for Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine and The Sports Illustrated for Kids Show, a CBS Saturday morning television series. He was subsequently hired by History Channel to co-write WWII in HD, an Emmy Award-winning miniseries, and its companion piece Vietnam in HD.

Two summers ago, Ben was approached by the producers of Washington. After consulting with MMFS colleagues, who graciously encouraged him to work on the project, Ben initially declined the offer because the required commitment conflicted with his teaching responsibilities for the 2019-20 school year. The following summer, Ben spent two months working on Washington, which would not have been possible without the support and prolific parenting of his wife, MMFS Assistant Director of College Guidance and Upper School Counseling Coordinator, Monica Kaplan, who had recently given birth to their second son.
Ben is thrilled that his writing projects also serve the MMFS community. This year, an Upper School history teacher has incorporated Ben’s programs into the curriculum to facilitate understanding of historical figures and events. While Ben tends to keep his teaching and writing professions separate, he shares occasional anecdotes with his students when he feels doing so can benefit their learning.

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