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Front Page
education
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Life Lessons
By Zsombor Peter
Journal Staff Writer
Maybe it was the elementary teacher who first showed you that school was more than a meaningless routine of math assignments and pop spelling quizzes.
Maybe it was the high school teacher who sparked your passion for science and set the course for the rest of your professional life.
For Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, it was Sally Evans, the third-grade teacher whose infinite kindness launched her own passion for teaching.
Most adults have at least one teacher who played an unforgettable role in their lives. Today is National Teacher Day, the perfect time to show appreciation — no matter what your age.
“The majority of teachers are working their tails off to do the best they can,” Bernstein said.
And though they don't do it for fame or glory, the public drumming that the nation's education system receives can be trying. With all that pressure, she said, “it matters to teachers that they get this kind of public recognition and support.”
Congress proclaimed Tuesday of the first full week in May as National Teacher Day in 1953. Since then, more is expected of schools, not to mention teachers. And the days when a high school dropout could expect to land a good job are effectively over, so the role of teachers has only grown more important.
As Bernstein put it, “teaching is the foundation of every career.” Below, a few past, present — and soon-to-be — locals remember the teachers who helped shape theirs.
Janet Napolitano, governor of Arizona and Sandia High graduate
“By and large my teachers (were) dedicated, learned and fun.
“One of the best was Ted Rush, the orchestra and band conductor at Sandia. Mr. Rush emphasized hard work and preparation; he drove the point home with early morning section rehearsals twice a week and by insisting on daily individual practice.
“But he also understood how to make us a team. It’s not easy to sell fruitcakes to raise money for out-of-town trips, but by teaching us to work together, Mr. Rush taught us how to succeed together.
“Most important, he communicated a love of music and an appreciation for good musicianship. These are traits I cherish to this day. (He also taught me to keep time by thumping a pencil on my head, but that’s
another story!)”
Tony Hillerman, Albuquerque mystery writer
“I was an 18-year-old farm boy, and Mary Montgomery was teaching me, an 18-year-old freshman, an English course. She gave me two grades on papers — a B or A and an F. After the third time she told me to come in and talk to her. She sat me down and thought I was basically a pretty good writer but my spelling was terrible. She gave me a spelling test, and then she taught me how to spell. It was above and beyond the call of duty.”
Winston Brooks, superintendent, Albuquerque Public Schools
Most memorable teacher: Sixth-grade teacher Pat Adamson in Medicine Lodge, Kan.
“I was in his class when the announcement was made over the intercom that President Kennedy had been shot. We were all horrified, yet he dealt with us and this tragedy in such an exemplary manner.”
Brooks said Adamson asked the students to place their heads on their desks while they listened to a radio broadcast of the unfolding events and talked them
through the constitutional process of presidential succession.
“I remember it was very peaceful; it was very calming.”
India Nixon, South Valley Academy outreach coordinator
Most memorable: Joan Nixon (no relation), sixth-grade teacher at St. Margaret’s Catholic School in Lake Charles, La., and one of the first “strong women” she met.
When India secretly passed a note around class that included some poetry she had written, Mrs. Nixon first confiscated it and then entered it into a poetry competition.
“Three months later, I won the poetry contest. Every single Christmas or Thanksgiving (I go home now) and I take her to lunch.”
Wilson Hurley, Albuquerque landscape artist
“The first teacher who really grabbed me was Cecil Wirth. I was a kid, about 13 or 14, at the Boys School in Los Alamos. He taught me to become interested in history. He taught a class on ancient history, and he was interested in it and well-read, and he got me going. He was one of the guys who turned me into a person who pursued knowledge.”
Brad Winter, City Council president
“Highland High Coach Henry Sanchez was my track coach and physical education teacher. He was always such a positive guy. When I started pole-vaulting, I wasn’t very good. I would end up in the box a lot. I wouldn’t even make it to the pit.
“He would always end up working with me. He never gave up on me. I would usually be the last guy out there training. He would stay with me and train. Eventually, as a sophomore, I placed fifth in state. As a junior I got second in state. As a senior I won state. He was such a positive influence: ‘You’re going to be able to do it.’ There were times I was ready to quit because I got tired of landing in the box on concrete. Then, I went on and got a college scholarship and qualified for the Olympic trials and am still pole-vaulting today.
“Athletics is what kept me in school and basically kept me in college. All the principles I learned, teamwork, was really a guiding force in the rest of my life.”
Frank Sedillo, Metro Court judge
“There have been so many teachers who have inspired me over the years. But one school teacher in particular taught me a very valuable lesson: to not give up, to try as hard as I can and to tackle the problem no matter how large.
“He was obnoxious and friendly. He was difficult and kind. He was stubborn and giving. He didn’t give you any answers, but he led you in the right direction. He made you work for everything you got. We had homework every night with no days off.
“Mr. Coleman was his name. Algebra and calculus were his game. And every student at Albuquerque High School felt the same.
“Aside from my parents, he was the best teacher I ever had.”
Rudolfo Anaya, Albuquerque novelist-essayist-
children’s book author
“T.J. Gabaldon taught at Browning Commercial School, which was behind the old St. Mary’s. When I got out of high school, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I enrolled there. He became my mentor. He got me part-time jobs. He was an accountant and aside from teaching, he had a business Downtown that kept the books for businesses and he’d send me to do the bookkeeping. I took most of my accounting classes from him.
“When I started at UNM he was the main financial administrator at the Girls Welfare Home. He took me up there and gave me a job, so I could take hours at UNM and be working in the business office. Those jobs helped me pay my way through college.”
Kim Johnson, physicist and one of the leaders of New Mexicans for Science and Reason
You would expect Kim Johnson to single out a science teacher as the most influential educator of his youth. You would be wrong.
As a Highland High School senior in the 1965-66 school year, it was a 12th-grade literature class from Caroline Parrish that stands out in his memory. What did she do?
She taught her students to organize their thoughts — to make outlines. Johnson said he still does that today. More important, Parrish treated her young charges as the grown-ups they were about to become.
“Being treated as an adult made all the difference in the world,” Johnson said.
Stuart Paisano, former Sandia Pueblo governor, state Economic Development Department assistant secretary
Julianne Green, St. Pius High physiology teacher, is noteworthy for reaching out — especially to minority students — and teaching the importance of living a healthy life.
Because of Green’s lessons, Paisano became an emergency medical technician. From there, he became a deputy with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and was named Sandia Pueblo governor while in his 20s. He used his knowledge from Pius to deliver better health services to Sandia Pueblo.
“It was very important to me because of the diseases that affected my community, in particular diabetes. When I became a public servant for my community, I helped create programs to help my community be more healthy. That translates into quality of life.”
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