Week 2: Teachers!

Having finished high school mere months ago, our memories of the teachers who helped us get through it all are still fresh. And while there is certainly a fair amount of regret that comes with recalling the missed deadlines and late nights spent procrastinating, what comes even more readily to mind is the countless and invaluable hours of learning, not just in the academic sense, that they have been responsible for. We were lucky enough to receive a diverse and completely human set of answers from those we spoke to.

Until next time,

Gideon & Truly

Who was your first student?

"On the first day of class one of my students, Ramone, looked at me with a huge smile and said, 'damn fool teacher.' If I hadn't been trained I would have yelled at him for calling me a damn fool. That night I went to Ramone's house to tell his mother what he had said to me. She called Ramone in to repeat what he had said in Mayan. She laughed and explained that he had meant to say 'good afternoon teacher.' I can still see Ramone's smile in my head! He was so proud of himself for speaking in English! I hated teaching because I am not disciplined, so it was hard for me to discipline others."

Elaine, former English teacher in a Mayan community in Mexico

Do you have a favorite First Lady?

"The obvious answer to your question is Eleanor Roosevelt, the liberal lion and ballast for FDR. Another popular answer is likely to be Dolly Madison, whose social graces compensated for those of James. But my vote goes to Betty Ford, whose candor about her alcoholism and breast cancer made her a pioneering figure in public life and did palpable good in the lives of millions of women and men." 

Jim, History Department Chair at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School

What was your first performance?

"My first 'official' performance was playing Sleeping Beauty in an adaptation I wrote in the 4th grade. Somehow, I persuaded my teacher to let me direct, write & star in this production, which we ended up performing for the other 4th grade classes to great acclaim. I think I was either precocious or a huge attention seeker!"

Alana, Teacher and Artist in Residence at The Reiffton School in Pennsylvania

What was your first Special Ed teaching experience?

"In my first week, a student asked me what I would do if I 'found something bad' in one of their desks. I said, 'it depends how bad it is.' The kid opened his desk to show me a gun. All I could say was 'that’s bad.'"

Linda, public Special Education teacher for 25 years in Long Island

What would you describe as the 'First Act' of your life?

"We lived down the block from my mother's parents on the second floor of an apartment house. When I was born we were living with my grandparents - 57-45 Penrod, where my parents still live. We moved down the hill to Martens Avenue. I remember being a happy but sickly child who faced death at age six. The move back to Penrod symbolized opportunity. My dad renovated what had been my Great Grandmother's portion of the house: more space, dogs in the yard, Nana and Poppa right there all the time. So it was a distinctive period. We moved on November 23rd, 1963. President Kennedy had been assassinated the day before."

Bob, History & English Teacher, Ethical Culture Fieldston School