Teachers

A few teachers have had a profound impact on my life. Just about everyone can recall that special  teacher that influenced their life in a positive manner during their youth.  My parents always respected my teachers and never countenanced my blaming a teacher for faults real or imagined. I grew up in the New York City Public school system in the 50s and 60s and I can honestly say that I was blessed with a very professional, seasoned and talented group of teachers.  My formative years at PS 151 in Manhattan's Yorkville section were guided by women who were extremely dedicated to the education of those in their charge. They also did not put up with any back talk or  "bad" behavior from little street urchins like me. Of course, in the fifties, bad behavior usually consisted of chewing gum in class or failing to show up without the required  handkerchief. Back then women who wanted a career had basically one of two choices, teaching or nursing.  Many had forsaken raising a family in order to pursue their career of choice and they were invariably good at what they did. One stands out in particular, my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Levy. She was a frail wisp of woman with silver hair and a steely determination under a patina of matronly propriety. Mrs Levy had already been teaching the children of the working class poor in New York City for 50 years when I walked into her classroom for the first time in 1959. I was immediately whisked into a world where learning was paramount and fun was in abundance. I loved Mrs. Levy like a yiayia and I think she loved me as well, but no more or less than the genuine affection she gave all of us. To her we were real people, capable of living up to our potential and not just a work related nuisance.  Two people  ignited the love I have always had for learning in my life, my Baba by virtue of his  own example in his daily life and Mrs. Levy.  For example, one of the things we had to do in 4th grade was learn the multiplication table by heart. That skill seems to have fallen by the wayside in the mad rush to modernize the teaching of mathematics these days. Nevertheless, Mrs Levy's  methods were tried, simple and effective. Once a student learned his or her multiplication table they had to recite the entire table from  memory without error.  Either you knew it or you didn't. If you could overcome this considerable hurdle, a small diploma tied with a delicate ribbon attesting to your prowess as a mathematician was placed in your hot little hands. I will never forget the elation I felt running home to show Baba and Mama my first diploma. Since that time I have learned that memorization of facts does not always constitute the pursuit of wisdom even though it is a good starting place. Good teachers are those gifted individuals that help us ignite the spark and guide us to a life long love of learning and asking questions. Mrs Levy's class was not about going through the motions, it was about learning, inquiry and working towards a standard that all of us should aspire to but may not always achieve.

One of the greatest teachers of antiquity was a Greek named Socrates.   Socrates sought genuine knowledge  by asking questions, using logic and conducting dialogues with others in the pursuit of truth. Socrates was usually to be found in the marketplace, conversing with young and old, male and female, slave and free, rich and poor. In other words, with anyone he could persuade to join with him in his question and answer mode of probing serious issues. Socrates' lifework consisted of the examination of people's lives, his own and others', because “the unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.”   Socrates questioned people about what matters most in our lives: courage, love, reverence, moderation, and the state of our souls.   Socrates was often described as the wisest of men yet he concluded that he only possessed a kind of wisdom that most men lack, namely an open awareness of their own ignorance. The goal of Socratic interrogation, then, is to help individuals to achieve genuine self-knowledge.

Socrates lived during a time of the transition. He saw Athens descend from the heights it had achieved to its eventual decline and  defeat by Sparta in the Peloponnesian War.  Socrates developed a substantial following among the young Athenian aristocrats of his time much to the disdain of their parents. That coupled with his association with those who criticized the regime in power, sealed his fate.  He was charged with corrupting Athenian youth and brought to trial. Even after he has been convicted by the jury, Socrates declines to abandon his pursuit of the truth in all matters. Refusing to accept exile from Athens or a commitment to silence as his penalty, he maintained that public discussion of life and virtue is a necessary part of any valuable human life. Socrates chose death rather than give up his pursuit of truth, and the jury granted him that wish. Socrates calmly delivered his final public words, a speculation about what the future holds. Disclaiming any certainty about the fate of a human being after death, he expressed a continued confidence in the power of reason. Socrates believed that the best way for people to live was to focus on self-development rather than the pursuit of material wealth. He always invited others to try to concentrate more on friendships and a sense of true community, for Socrates felt that this was the best way for people to grow together as a populace. His actions lived up to this: in the end, Socrates accepted his death sentence when most thought he would simply leave Athens, as he felt he could not run away from or go against the will of his community.

Comments

[Elizabeth (Horton) Newton]

Mrs. Levy was my 4th grade teacher also. To this day she remains one of the most influential people in my life. Her enthusiasm, dedication, and love of learning have inspired me many times to reach higher. Reading your words brought her to life in my mind once again. Thank you so much for sharing your memories of this educator.

[Stavros]

Dear Elizabeth,

Funny how some people influence so many lives. I am so glad I was able to bring back some of those memories of her. I am guessing you are also an educator. Perhaps you would enjoy reading this post:

http://greekodyssey.typepad.com/my_greek_odyssey/2008/06/the-letter.html

My wish is to inspire even one person the way she inspired me. Warm regards.