From The Beginning

I still treasure my kindergarten yearbook. Each of us proud little graduates have a page with our picture on it and a caption that included our favorite color, activity, and what we wanted to be when we grew up. When my teacher asked me this question, I replied assuredly, “I want to be a teacher”. At all of eleven years old, I gave my first “model lesson”. My fifth grade teacher Miss Lieberstein allowed each student to choose a reward for some behavior contest. Among the rewards was an opportunity for the student to be teacher for a day- which I eagerly chose. I clearly remember the tingle of excitement I felt standing in front of a class full of students awaiting my instruction. It was also through this experience that I realized some of the finer points of teaching such as good lesson planning and classroom management aren’t as easy as they seem! My next foray into the teaching world occurred when I was an eleventh grader in high school. I was in my neighborhood’s elementary school building with a group of friends when the principle spotted us strolling around, visiting the old haunts. She greeted us warmly and turning to me asked, “How would you like to sub for third grade?” At first, I thought she was joking. Clad in a pleated uniform skirt, blouse and pony tail, I looked every inch the high school junior that I was. Hardly the look of a teacher! When my principal continued pressing me to call her if I was available, I realized she was serious- and that I was receiving a unique opportunity that most people don’t get in high school.  My spring vacation had already started, but the elementary grades still had school, which is why I was able to take up this offer.  To the background sound of all my friends laughing, I marched into the third grade, and taught for a day. Well, subbed is better word. And as my father rightly stated, “Subbing is not teaching”.

Once I reached high school, I got involved with various activities such as youth groups, tutoring, day camp and babysitting. Through these pursuits, I developed the abilities I knew I had in connecting with children, and working with them in capacities to give over knowledge and skills as well as help to broaden their worldview while instilling in them self-confidence and develop their inclinations.

For four summers, I was a staff member in a sleepaway camp. I held diverse positions in camp over the years, ranging from junior specialty to counselor to head lifeguard to assistant director. My experience allowed me to work with the campers who were as young as second grade, straight through the oldest bunk of teenagers. These various experiences deepened my understanding and appreciation for relating to a diversity of people. Through working with different children from various backgrounds and different capabilities, I learned various methods and modalities for reaching a wide variety of children.

            My own education has been one of the greatest influences on my life. From learning the alphabet in preschool to analyzing the differences and similarities between nationalism and globalism in high school, my own teachers profoundly influenced the way that I relate to and interpret the world.  I was fortunate to have an outstanding string of teachers who educated me from pre-k through high school. They have motivated me to want to share this knowledge with those around me.

But education begins in the home, and it is my father who is my primary role model for inspiring me to pursue a career as a teacher. My father has been a teacher for over twenty years, and has taught the gamut of grades, from elementary to junior high, to high school. Growing up in a home where teaching others is so fundamental has truly molded my mindset that one must utilize their abilities and talents which they are endowed with, in whatever capacity they fill, to reach out and inspire those around them. I saw firsthand the hard behind-the -scenes work life of a dedicated teacher: using after school hours and Sundays to plan and prepare, constantly speaking with colleagues, the phone calls and details that go into organizing extra-curricular activities, participating in events such as open house, retreats, and intra-school/community functions. Years before progressive education coined terms like “student directed lessons” and “active learning” my father demonstrated to us these crucial aspects of tangible learning experiences. In keeping in sync with the world’s hi-tech revolution, my father implemented technology into the classroom long before the hi-tech industry made these features so easily adapted to the classroom. For example, he created slideshows and music videos of the rules and behaviors he wanted to set in the classes he taught. The students and our own family(!) starred in these presentations, which allowed them (and us) to internalize learning in a meaningful and very fun way.

I see how my father devotes himself endlessly to his students, going way beyond academics in the classroom. The connections my father has with his students aren’t severed after graduation, but rather strengthened. Students actually come to visit my father years after they graduate, sometimes even joining us for a family dinner. I have often heard the remark that sitting at our family’s table is like being in my father’s class, as he interacts with us, his family, in a very similar manner to how he interacts with his students. Through these comments, I’ve realized in a penetrating manner how devotion to one’s students can be as great as the devotion one has for their own family. My father keeps up with his students in their post high school years, continuing to offer guidance in the next stages of life: college, dating, and marriage. When previous students come over to visit with their own little children in tow, students who are working to build homes replete with the ideals my father imparted to them, I get a glimpse into the results that show what years of dedication, concern, and caring of a teacher can accomplish. This propels me to want to attain similar goals.

            After graduating high school, I studied in Israel for a year in a post high school seminary. I chose the track where we attended pedagogue classes, went observing in different schools, and were required to give model lessons. I also signed up for electives which supplemented our regular teaching instruction, such as Intro to Special Education. When I came back to America, I was excitedly looking forward to fulfilling my long anticipated dream of going to the other side of the desk and becoming the teacher. I was offered a fourth grade position in the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC Plainview campus), which I accepted. It was a small school with very small classes which I thought would be ideal to start out with.

Despite a summer of excited preparations, my first day was a disaster- the kids were doing the proverbial “walking on the ceiling”. The talked to each other, giggled, made cross-eyed faces, and kept on asking to go to the bathroom. I left the building thinking I would never go back. I went home to my family’s inquiries about my first day and with a sinking heart related how it didn’t really turn out to be like the rosy dreams I cherished. In an eye-opening conversation, my father let me know that despite his tremendous success that I saw, his first day of school almost mirrored mine. His own principle suggested to him to come in real tough the next day, and take no nonsense. He did it- first kid that called out was out of the room. “And,” he concluded, “I have had a very happy twenty years since”. He added that ironically, the student he came down on was his greatest student that year.

Well, I tried that, and to some extent it worked for me as well. But the number one lesson that I learned is that I am not my father or any other model, great as they may be. And I have to teach according to my personality and style that I’m comfortable with as well be in tune with the school’s culture and expectations.  Thankfully, I also had a lot of support from my principle and assistant principle who offered me the much needed encouragement and advice to get me through my first year of teaching. My co-teachers were incredible sources of support and ideas. And though I promised myself at the outset of that first year that all I need to do is get through the first year and never come back, I found myself the following September facing a new group of eager students. And the next September. And the next. And the next. I am almost a decade in the profession, as educator and counting.

At the same time, I worked toward my undergraduate degree in Touro College. After completing my undergrad, I went on to get my master’s in Education and Special Education in grades 1-6 which I’m still working to complete. After six years of growing and learning in HANC, I switched to my current job as third grade classroom teacher in a private school. I loved HANC but as a mom of two delicious kids, I wanted to work closer to home. Being a student and teacher (never mind wife and mom!) is taxing, yet at the same time enjoyable, as I can really reflect and out into practice the methodologies that I am learning.           

I hope to continue working in the capacity to perfect the craft of teaching. Right now I am looking into the possibility of transferring from classroom teacher to SEIT provider as this will allow me to work with the students who need the small group instruction. I think it is less demanding in some ways than classroom teacher while still enabling to do what I love most which is teach. Right now, I am in elementary education but I would like to eventually branch out into middle school or secondary education. In the elementary classroom, the teacher is responsible for pretty much all the subjects. I would love to specialize in one field- right now I think it would be science or math- and teach that one subject.

Real long term, I would love to become a mentor and guide young student-teachers in honing their skills as educators. I understand where they’re coming from and would love to be able to give back the encouragement that propelled me onward in my journey instead of turning around and going elsewhere altogether.

Alright that’s about it for now. Signing off.