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Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Teachers

More Than Just A Teacher, Beyond the Classroom

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The Relationship That Goes Beyond the Classroom

By Ashley Grund

Julia Fortier and Mr. Houser
Julia Fortier and Mr. Houser

Teachers: an essential part of the life of a high school student. Many Chappaqua residents love our school district for one thing in particular–outstanding teachers. The importance of the relationships built between students and teachers in high school cannot be stressed enough. Our teachers become not merely just the adults seen every day in the classroom, but mentors that have a lasting impact. This type of relationship may be rare for some students, but it exists in and throughout the Greeley community.

Senior Julia Fortier knows what it is like to have this profound connection with a teacher. Julia had Mr. Steven Houser from ninth through eleventh grade as both a history teacher and cross country and track coach. Sadly, this past school year marked Mr. Houser’s last year at Greeley after teaching there for 34 years. When asked to describe the relationship he has with Julia, he said that he and Julia have been “buddies since ninth grade.” The connection that they have emanates when they are together; Julia feels lucky to have had someone who has had such an impact on so many students throughout his teaching career.

Julia’s appreciation for Mr. Houser has grown both in the classroom and on track. She enjoyed the three classes she had with him and described him as a coach who is “very supportive and didn’t put too much pressure on anybody.” Mr. Houser recognizes that this relationship doesn’t come with every student. “It takes a special person that can go beyond ‘I have to do this for my next test.’ When this happens, it is extremely fulfilling, and it happened with Julia,’” Houser said, with a big smile on his face.

For Senior Noah Weissman, Mrs. Jacqueline Abair helped him to channel the confidence that was hidden within himself. As a sophomore in a freshman/sophomore English class, Noah took it upon himself to form relationships with the younger students. Mrs. Abair noticed this, and it is one of the many reasons she loved having Noah in the classroom. “It really impressed me how Noah welcomed the younger students,” beamed Abair. Noah was at first not a particularly strong English student, but always reached out for help, met with Mrs. Abair, communicated his ideas and eventually succeeded. “Mrs. Abair gave me the confidence I needed going into the peer leadership program tryouts. She noticed these qualities in me and knew that those evaluating me would be able to notice those qualities as well,” explained Noah.

Making a Difference

Mrs. Abair feels very humbled knowing that she has had an impact on Noah, and this relationship serves as a reminder of just how rewarding teaching can be. “Teaching is an honor, as is being able to work with children and knowing that you can make a difference,” she added.

Hearing both Julia’s and Noah’s stories made me reflect on the bonds I have had with my teachers. After freshman year, I discovered a unique opportunity in Greeley’s Chinese program. Since the beginning of sophomore year, I have been learning Mandarin Chinese and have loved every minute. People have often asked me, “Why Chinese?” The answer to this question lies in our teacher, Mrs. Ping Li, or “Li laoshi,” as we call her in class. Whether we are learning the correct way to say the tones on all the eccentric characters, or having a “culture day” with a Chinese food celebration, there is never a dull moment in class. As I approach my third year of Chinese with Mrs. Li, I am thankful for having such a great opportunity to learn this unique language in such depth and breadth. We are constantly reminded of the exact question that I often hear from all my friends: Why Chinese?

Instilling Confidence

Mrs. Li tells us that our learning of Chinese will stretch beyond the doors of the classroom. Chinese opens the door for many career paths, study abroad opportunities in college and other opportunities that one would not otherwise be able to take on. Mrs. Li has also instilled confidence in me that I carry over into other areas of my life. She constantly reminds us that by learning Chinese, we are going to make a difference in the world.

No matter how students feel about their teachers, there are always those that we will remember and tell our children and our children’s children about. For some, teachers may even affect the choice of career path or courses in college.

When a student can finally get past some of the frustrations of the high school workload and dig deeper into what is really important, teachers are always there for them at the end of the day. They are the ones that make school more than just school, and turn it into something extraordinary and life changing.

goodnight moonAshley Grund is a senior at Horace Greeley High School. Growing up, her favorite book was Goodnight Moon.

Summer Off? Not Quite.

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Teachers Balance Work and Leisure—Here and Abroad!

By Miriam Longobardi

summer-off“Oh, you’re a teacher– you get summers of –how great!”  What teacher has not heard that? The reality is that during the summer most teachers are involved in some type of work, whether it is working a summer job to supplement income or some form of professional development. More than 240 Chappaqua teachers spent many days writing curriculum, developing units of study aligned with the new common core standards, and serving on district committees.  Several more collaborated with administration to create new local assessments mandated by the state.  Still others took graduate and in-service classes but whatever the endeavor once August comes we are right back in the classroom setting up the room and preparing lesson plans for the new school year and an ever-changing curriculum.  When your child walks in on the first day of school, those engaging, neatly labeled displays and thoughtfully organized rooms ready for learning did not happen overnight but took weeks during our “time off”.

Fifteen Chappaqua teachers were accepted into a special cohort called Teacher Action Research Project (TARP).  This intense two-year commitment involves collaborating with colleagues across schools and grade levels using classroom experience to examine student learning and how to ensure that students are thinking deeply and supporting their thinking as they acquire content knowledge.
I participated on the panel consisting of teachers and administrators that interviewed those applicants and evaluated their proposals. They began their work in July and will meet every couple of months to share their progress, submit reports, and revise as needed over the next two years, including more summer work and visiting one another’s classrooms monthly to provide valuable feedback. Colleagues have shared that the influence on their teaching is life-changing.

To Rome with Love
For me, once school let out, rather than hitting the beach, I was off to Harlem to Columbia University Teachers College for a week-long intensive writing institute to help me prepare for a new grade level curriculum.  I was doing homework–required reading, writing papers and lesson plans–and taking part in group presentations.  After that kick-off to summer I was ready for some “me-time” in the form of a three week vacation through Italy and Croatia!

I traveled alone, booked all my hotels, flights and train travel online in advance after months of research and planning (and saving money!).  I landed in Rome and instantly fell in love with the entire city and all its history, art and local personalities!  From Rome I traveled to Venice and was swept away by its beauty. Its tiny streets make it more difficult to navigate and unlike Rome it was not as conducive to traveling alone. My first evening there, I met a great group of  people that live just outside Venice and were there to spend the evening much like we would go into New York.  They instantly befriended me and took me along as we walked the city stopping at fun places all along the way that I never would have discovered on my own.  In Florence, I saw amazing works of art and made more friends. I hiked along a mountain in Cinque Terre and then headed to Croatia for some relaxation on the beach.

The entire trip was great for the soul and brought me in contact with ancient history, incredible works of art, and many new lifelong friends.  Once back in the US I unpacked, repacked, and went to a week-long leadership conference in Baltimore to prepare for my newly elected officer position within the Chappaqua Congress of Teachers and then–you guessed it–my classroom beckoned.

Training in Bhutan
Not all travel is for leisure, and Ellen Moskowitz, a colleague of mine at Roaring Brook, spent her summer in Bhutan training teachers how to educate students with special needs in a general education setting.

Until four years ago, Bhutan did not educate those students and, after the government recognized the need to do so, reached out to the US Special Education Advisory and began efforts to train teachers.  Moskowitz was one of three teachers selected from many nominated candidates to be a specialist in their school.

She showed teachers how to identify student needs and support them in a pull-out program and what small group instruction is and looks like. She introduced them to language used, such as IEP (individualized education program) and helped them develop IEP’s. In addition to the teachers, principals, and special education coordinators who came from all over Bhutan, she trained instructors at the university level how to incorporate this information into their curriculum to better prepare new teachers to meet diverse student needs.

The Bhutan Foundation behind this initiative also planned weekend excursions to different parts of the country.  She had the opportunity to hike through mountains, sometimes at cloud level, as well as through rice paddies. Her hotel faced the Himalayan Mountains and she enjoyed waking up and facing that beautiful view each day before school.

She found the teachers very receptive and eager to learn new teaching methods and remains in touch with them via email, answering questions and engaging in ongoing discussions.

As teachers we are fortunate to find time to reinvigorate for the coming school year, but it is a balance.  I am proud to be part of democracy’s greatest legacy and that for which Chappaqua is renowned –excellence in public education.

Miriam Longobardi is a freelance writer, first grade teacher and single mother of two daughters living in Westchester.  A breast cancer survivor, she also volunteers for the American Cancer Society and has completed four marathons.  Also, check out her weekly New York Modern Love column  at Examiner.com.