Teachers recall educators who inspired them
In a nationwhere you can choose to be practically anything, why be a teacher?
The hours are long, the pay isn’t great and the daily grind of trying to get other people’s children to meet benchmarks devised by some far-off think tank can be daunting, not to mention exhausting.
And yet, so many people choose this path.
Why?
Many say they chose a career in education after they were inspired by a teacher of their own.
Today I share the stories of some teachers who chose this profession because they wanted to have the same effect on young people that a teacher had on them.
In short, they are grateful for the teachers who not only educated them but encouraged, inspired and cared for them at a time when theywere vulnerable, uncertain and in search of their place in the world.
For them, itwas a teacher who shined a light, opened a door, waylaid a fear or simply said “You can do it” and then let them.
I’m pretty sure these tales are merely the tip of an enormous iceberg of inspiration.
junior high alma mater to reconnect with the teacher who became her reason for pursuing a career in education.
“The stuff Iwas going through inmy personal life thenwas so overwhelming,” Petrauskas, a DwightD. Eisenhower High School English teacher told Rita McDermott at Prairie Jr. High in Alsip. “Youwere the only joy in my life at the time.”
Standing in the same classroomwhere Petrauskaswas once a student and whereMcDermott still teaches, thewomen embraced and chatted energetically about the joy of teaching literature and about the lasting impact a teacher can have on a student.
“Iwas going through a tough time inmy life with the divorce of my parents and the death ofmy grandpa andmy first dog,” Petrauskas said. “Mrs. McDermott would go out of herway to make me feel special.
“She’s likeGeorge Bailey in ‘It’s aWonderful Life.’ She doesn’t knowthe effect she’s had on people,” Petrauskas said.
McDermott said over the years she’s oftenwondered if she should have been more ambitious in her career, using her advanced degree tomove up the ladder.
But the validation that often comes from former students, such as Petrauskas, keeps her in the classroom.
“I’m so happy here. I love literature and I love people. How lucky I amto be able to have a career that involves both,” she said. “And it’s so nice when someone says what you’re doing is important.”
Petrauskas said, “The best compliment I ever receivedwas froma parent and student at parent-teacher conferences. They said that I reminded them of (the student’s) former English teacher.”
She asked who thatwas and the student said, “Mrs. McDermott fromPrairie.”
Passing the baton
“One ofmy best high school memorieswas being part of the a cappella choir,” said JulieMcKee, a 1993 graduate ofMother McAuley High School inMount Greenwood.
The choir thenwas led by Sister EllenMarie Ryan.
“We sang at school and civic events, learning important performance skills. Whenwe did heartbreaking funerals or sang at hospitals, Sister Ellen reminded us that musicwas a ministry. It was not a performance then, but a calling, andwewere to put ourselves second, and give the gift of music,” McKee said.
During that time, McKee said, “I underwent a life-changing metamorphosis ... Sister Ellen helped me to realize that I had a gift, and gave me the purpose and direction to use it.”
McKeewent on to major in music and perform in musical theater.
“Right when I had reached a crossroads and felt ready for a change, I received a call from Sister Ellen, asking if Iwould consider teaching for a year at McAuley, to cover a maternity leave,” McKee said.
Eighteen years later, she still has “the best job in theworld”— Sister Ellen’s former position as choir director.
When the sister retired, McKee said, she cleared out her office, leaving behind only the Precious Moments statue of a choir director directing a flock of birds that McKee had given her when she was a senior at the school.
“Sister Ellen still comes to our concerts, and I admit, I holdmy breath, waiting to hear what she thought of the a cappella choir,” McKee said.
Making math fun
Back when shewas a student at Victor J. AndrewHigh School, Stephanie McCleish struggled with math so teacher Carol Murraywould meet with her almost daily to review, McCleish said.
“Shewas incredibly fun and patient,” McCleish said, recalling howMurray brought in an old refrigerator door so the students could display their bestwork, as well as photos of pets and school events.
“You could tell she truly loved her job and cared about her students. She inspired me to pursue education,” she said. “I have now been teaching for 11 years.”
McCleish spent the first part of her career in the Lincoln-Way district and nowteaches English and journalism at BuffaloGrove High School for Township Dis- trict 214.
“A few years ago I actually ran into MissMurray and itwas so fun to tell her about the impact she made inmy life. She had no idea,” McCleish said. “That’s the thing about teaching, we don’t always get to see the results of our work and the influencewe may have. I hope I can be the kind of teacher formy students that she was for me.”
A formula for success
Phil Januszewski, who today teaches at Carl Sandburg High School, remembers when hewas a student at AndrewHigh School and his dream of becoming a classically trained chefwas fizzling.
At the time, Matt Buczkiewicz was a sincere and supportive chemistry teacher at Andrew High School who always took the time to listen, Januszewski said.
“Itwas because of me feeling comfortable with him that I opened up to him one day in class, mentioning that I didn’t know what to do withmy life,” Januszewski said. “Hewas supportive and started mentioning some ofmy strengths. He mentioned that I seemed to really like school and science classes and people.
“I agreed with him and then he asked something to the effect of ‘Howabout being in high school forever? You could teach science.’ ”
After that, Januszewski said, “it was like everything clicked.”
This year marks the start of his 14th year teaching in the same district he grew up in.
Paying it forward
John Duckhorn has been teaching social studies for 20 years but itwas a math teacher who set him on that path.
Duckhorn, whoworks at Eisenhower High School, credits KathyHynes, who taught math at St. Laurence High School in Burbank, with inspiring him to pursue a career in education.
“Mrs. Hynes selflessly met with me andmy friends every morning to tutor us onmath,” Duckhorn said.
His fatherwould drop him off an hour before school andHynes would go over his homework, review for exams or prepare for the ACT.
“My family knew this actwas beyond the expectation of any teacher,” he said.
“I entered high school never considering the path of education. Iwasn’t even necessarily sure if Iwas going to go to college. Mrs. Hynes taught me to embrace the struggle and find value in the work regardless of your grade. She taught her students to be confident in themselves and advocate for their grades ifwe believedwe earned it,” Duckhorn said. “This life lesson is what helped many of us endure and get through college and life. My calling has been to ‘pay it forward.’ ”
The value of relationships
As a counselor at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, Beth Gulden draws inspiration fromthe kindness and dedication that elementary school teacher Esther Beer showed her many years ago.
Beer, who taught sixth grade at Fierke Education Center in Oak Forest, had away of talking to students “as young adults of value and importance,” Gulden said.
Guldenwas age 8 when she first met Beer.
“Iwas returning froman illness and surgery that kept me out of school for a time,” Gulden said. “I knowIwas flattered that (Beer) sought me out simply to have a quick conversation. Interestingly enough, she had attended college withmy parents years earlier and (I think) had possibly only realized the connection whenmy name came up as a student whowas sick.”
Itwas a time when Guldenwas understandably treated as pretty fragile bymany.
“It’s funny howthe people and situations who bring some normalcy back to your life are the ones you remember,” she said.
“We talk a lot in education about the value of relationships with students and rightfully so, obviously,” Gulden said. “I’ve been fortunate enough towork as a teacher and counselor for the past 18 years and have always hoped thatmywork had made some small impact on the students I’ve encountered. I know without a doubt that I’m only one of many Oak Forest kids and Fierke alumni lucky enough to have crossed paths with Esther Beer.”
Sarina Kledzik’s high school drama teacher is still her mentor.
Kledzik, who teaches English at Eisenhower, said former Alan B. Shepard teacher Raina Ames, who nowis director of theater education at theUniversity of NewHampshire, “believed inme when I struggled to believe in myself.”
Kledzik said, “Iwas always seen as the funny girl in all the plays andwas never given a chance to act dramatically.”
Ames cast Kledzik in her first dramatic role in a play called “To Gillian on her 37th birthday.”
Kledzik has chosen the same play for her students this year.
Years before, when Kledzik’s parentsweren’t available to take her to an audition for the summer workshop at Steppenwolf Theater, Ames drove her.
“She coached me during her lunch period for the Goodman Theater Shakespeare competition,” Kledzik said. “When Iwas debatingmoving to L.A., shewas the first person I called. When I decided to become a teacher and leave L.A., I turned to her for guidance.
“Each day,” Kledzik said, “I try to be the teacher shewas tome.”
Teaching is a calling
RickMundo grew up in a family of educators, all of whomwere inspirational, particularly his dad, who introduced him to coaching.
Over the years, Mundo, who teaches social studies at Shepard High School, has coached his brother, sister and two kids.
Outside the family, however, Mundo said, the teacher whose impact decided his fatewasKevin Burns, then a grammar school teacher atNavajo School in Palos Heights and today president of Brother Rice High School in Mount Greenwood.
“Dr. Burnswas the teacher who showedme that teaching and coachingwas a vocation, a calling,” Mundo said. “Heworked tirelessly to provide us with a well-rounded education, aswell as activities and a sports program at the grammar school level that was unheard of. He made grammar school interesting, fun and rewarding.”