Memories of Great Teachers

Unlike today when career choices for young women are infinite, when I grew up in the 60s nursing home economics and teaching were basically our only choices.  I selected education. Why? Because at the time I believed the role of teachers to be equally important to that of doctors.  That may sound like a bit of a stretch, but I still passionately believe that the role of a teacher is to keep their students’ minds intact whereas a doctor’s is to keep their bodies healthy.

Consider this for a moment: teachers are the very backbone of society.  They offer guidance to their students; they offer our youth the endless capacity for learning; and they serve as role models to emulate. In doing so, teachers help shape our future educationally, socially and also by extension, economically. 

The exception is the rule

The disconnect here, however, is that not everyone who teaches should. After several years of teaching high school French, I realized that my ideals were not as realistic as I had hoped. There were few great teachers to inspire a young professional.  Later, I discover that teaching was no different than any other profession. Outstanding performers in all fields were the exception not the rule.  That said, my belief in the importance of teaching has never wavered.

Luckily, most people experience at least one special teacher during their early years at school. For example, someone who recognized something unique in them, a talent which the teacher nurtured thereby allowing the students to excel. In many cases, these gifted teachers sidelined the traditional method of teaching the require curriculum. Instead, they understood that not all children learn in the same way and chose an approach appropriate to the child.  

A hot topic at the dinner table

The value of a great teacher, someone who changed your life, was the topic of discussion at one of my recent dinner parties.  I had no idea it would have sparked such enthusiastic conversation among the guests.  It started with a response from Charles Scicolone, a retired teacher who now is a wine writer and believe it or not, a pizza authority. He offered his opinion from a teacher’s perspective.

Charles was an educator for 30 years teaching Social Studies in junior high schools in the New York City public school system.  He recounted having a unique opportunity to connect with his students thanks to a change in administration. Charles explained how his new principal, Edward Stern, asked him and three other young teachers to set up a curriculum for 120 of the school’s brightest students.  It was called the Ditmas Plan.  Mr. Stern gave the teachers the freedom to think outside the box. Their goal was to expose their students to experiences beyond the normal academic programming and environment.

The innovative Ditmas Plan

Charles said, “Because we made our own schedule, we had shorter periods, so we had time for ‘mini courses.’ The students chose which mini course they wanted to attend. For example,” Charles continued, “I offered a mini course called ‘The Student Instructor Corps.’ In this class, I taught students how to teach a lesson.  After the students completed the course, they would choose a topic and then they would teach it to the other students. Finally, they would go to the elementary schools in the district and teach their course to the younger students.” This experimental program was so ground-breaking that it was featured in the NY Daily News.

Charles offered a variety of courses on different subjects such as philosophy and Italian language, as did his fellow collaborators in this experimental project. “We had many expert guest speakers, too. For example, Susan Westmoreland spoke about her experiences in publishing as an editor at Seventeen Magazine.”

Expanding teaching beyond the classroom

Additionally, educational field trips were a big part of Charles’ innovative curriculum. These included day trips to museums, Gateway National Park, and Broadway theaters.  There were also out-of-town trips to Montréal, Quebec, and Colonial Williamsburg, in Virginia.

One thing Charles taught his class was how to write a term paper.  He recalls with pride and satisfaction how several students contacted him after their first year in college to tell him how they were able to easily ace their term papers. “Thanks to my class” Charles elaborated, “they knew how to write a paper while many of their fellow classmates struggled with the basic concept.”

To this day, Charles has a group of almost 50 students from this inventive program who remain in contact with him. They even had a reunion a few years ago after 40 years.

Non-conventional approaches to learning how to think

While Charles humbly states that he really did nothing that special, clearly that was not how his students viewed his impact on their lives. Charles provided a healthy, creative environment where they could learn. He taught his students practical life lesson and exposed them to things, people and ideas that served as building blocks to their being more engaged, self-sufficient, and open-minded young adults. His greatest gift as he explained it was “that I encouraged them to think for themselves and to make up their own minds.”

Charles’ wife, Michele—prolific cookbook author and one of America’s most important authorities on Italian cuisine—shared her experiences as a young student. She had two teachers who influenced her growth as a student with promise.   Here is her story as she recounted it during dinner.

Taking that extra step

“The first was Sister Jean when I was only five or six years old. My family had just moved to a new neighborhood and since my birthday is in May, the school decided to advance me half a year.  Unfortunately, I couldn't read as well as the older students in the second grade and I began to struggle.  Sr. Jean realized my dilemma and made a special effort to help me.  She tutored me after school and gave me the extra attention I needed so that I was able to catch up and eventually become a passionate reader.

“Many years later, at Hunter College, I majored in Nutrition, but what I really wanted to do was be a food writer.  At that time, there were no programs for professional food writers, and I had no idea how I could reach my goal.  I didn't know anyone in the field or what the requirements might be. I just knew that I wanted to write for Gourmet Magazine and other prominent food publications.   

Where there’s a will, there’s a way 

“I went to see my advisor, Dr. Irene Von Cseh, and asked her advice.   She was quite an elegant older woman, and I was somewhat intimidated by her. She couldn't tell me what steps I should take, but somehow, she convinced me that if that were my goal, I should just go forward, and I would find a way to get there.   

“She was right.  It was just the push I needed.  I figured it out and found my own way.  One thing led to another, and I became a food writer for countless magazines and newspapers and wrote many cookbooks. It was all the more satisfying because I did it myself, thanks to Dr. Von Cseh's encouragement. 

Then Michele added, “I don't know of anyone else specifically helped by these two wonderful teachers, but I have no doubt that their caring and passion for learning must have influenced many other students over the years.  It's nice to remember these two influential teachers after all these years.”

 A success story in Micky Mouse clothing

Another guest, Chinese-born graphic artist Roger Chen, is normally a man of few words. However, this topic provoked such an enthusiastic reaction that he put aside his reserved demeanor and opened up in a way none of us expected.  As I couldn’t capture all the details, I asked if he wouldn’t mind writing up his comments. Here is what Roger had to say about his life-changing experience at the hand of a teacher who recognized his potential at a young age.

“I grew up in China during the end of Cultural Revolution. At seven, I was enrolled in one of top elementary schools in the city. Everything seemed fine until my super ‘Westernized’ wardrobe caught the attention of my head teacher. My mother was called to school and was scolded for putting me—one of the successors of our great Communist cause—in clothing adorned with obviously corrupted bourgeois motifs like Mickey Mouse and his pals. 

Internalizing what people say about you 

“When my mother (a filmmaker) daringly rejected her criticism and insisted on her right to make outfit decisions for her own child, I instantly became the target of revenge. Ever since then, I was often singled out by the head teacher for public ridicule and sometimes humiliation in front of other kids. Because of this, I lost my self-confidence as well as my interest in school. Seeking escape, I started hanging out with a few older high school kids known for picking fights, smoking, and skipping classes. At nine, I became one of them. 

Identifying potential in a student 

“Things took a dramatic turn when, at age ten, our head teacher was transferred to another school. Her position was replaced by a nice "chubby" teacher who took an instant liking to me. I remember her face vividly: Permed curly hair, dark rimmed glasses, a beautiful smile, and a hearty laugh.  And her tall, rounded body structure, totally unique for a Chinese woman in those day. 

“She saw my potential. I was often given special school assignments by her and was praised in public for any little progress I made. I regained my confidence. My grades improved. I re-joined my peers and participated in many group activities. I was even picked by her to join the school choir.   

“During the middle school entrance exam two years later, I outperformed myself and received scores that secured my chance to go to the city’s top middle school. That was also the year China reopened to the outside world. 

Being out of one’s comfort zone 

“My life took another turn when, during my last school choir rehearsal for an upcoming national competition, she spotted me on campus. My teacher encouraged me to take another exam for an experimental foreign language boarding school, because my middle school entrance exam scores met their strict criteria, AND because I could ‘write pin-yin letters (Romanization of the Chinese characters based on their pronunciation) beautifully.’   

Not wanting to disappoint the teacher  

“I went with a school-arranged van but was tremendously intimidated by many of the other prodigy-like candidates at the exam site. I left. Once again, I escaped because I didn't think I was good enough. However, for some mysterious reasons, perhaps out of fear of letting down someone who put her complete faith in me, I decided to go back and take this exam that same afternoon.  

“When my father and I arrived at the exam location—after a one and half hour bike ride to get there—the exam was about to close. I outperformed again and received, according to one the examiners, the second-highest scores amongst 400 some candidates. That September, I became one of the 40 students, who for the first time since 1949, began using English textbooks imported from Hong Kong and reading those unfamiliar and nasty sounding ‘bourgeois’ words like ‘Hello, Miss Wong. My name is Tommy. I like Mickey Mouse.’"       

(The photo in this week’s post is of Roger at age six in clothing which he described as being “utterly corrupted” amongst an ocean of blues and greens worn by his fellow classmates.) 

The unquestionable power of a great teacher

As we’ve just read in these three accounts, a good teacher brings to the profession a high level of dynamism, innovation, and empathy.  They astutely observe their students, seek out their hidden talents, and nurture their minds. Then, they provide guidance on pursing higher education. In essence, a good teacher shapes the future of the individual by empowering them to fulfil their potential and ultimately, to have the necessary skill set to shape the world around them.  

Let us not be tempted to underestimate the importance teachers have in our society.  Instead, just for a moment, reflect on those dedicated teachers whom you admired as a young child. Remember those educators who pushed you to work harder than you thought possible which in the end helped you achieve something special. Consider how they impacted your life and how they helped shape the individual that you are today. And then, thank them. If they are no longer with us, give them a few moments of quiet appreciation. You’ll be glad you did.