We are accustomed to reading depressing stories about demoralized teachers who are leaving their profession. They were demonized before the pandemic and during the pandemic, accused of not working hard enough and expecting more pay, blamed for flat test scores, and denounced for worrying about being exposed to the coronavirus. And many of those teachers said they could no longer tolerate the nonstop criticism.
You can only imagine how exciting it was to attend a gala where educators were celebrated and appreciated.
Last Friday, I attended the annual awards dinner hosted by St. Joseph’s College, which has two campuses, one in Brooklyn and the other in Patchogue on Long Island in New York. The College was founded by the Sisters of St.Joseph in 1916; the Sisters urge the teachers they prepare to work in public schools, where they are needed.
I attend the event every year with my spouse Mary, who is a 1969 graduate of the College and a member of its Board of Trustees for the past fifteen years. Mary had a long and successful career (35 years) in the New York City public schools as a teacher, department chair, principal, and executive director of a citywide program to help hundreds of other principals. She loves the College, and the nuns who educated her, many of whom had doctorates from prestigious universities. She has often told me that her favorite teacher, Sister John Raymond, said that it was far better to be looked over than overlooked. Tell every child that you notice what they did right. Tell them you like their new haircut, their last paper, and their improved behavior in class. Catch them being good.
The College has a strong tradition of preparing teachers and others who work in the public sector. It infuses its graduates with a sense of service and a desire to “give back” and “pay it forward.” Most of its graduates enter the fields of education and nursing. The first person in New York City to get a COVID vaccination shot was a nurse who graduated from St. Joseph’s.
The President of St. Joseph’s since 2017 is Dr. Donald Boomgaarden, a scholar of music, concert pianist, and country fiddler. He is a charismatic yet humble leader, the right leader at the right time.
But the reason I’m sharing this story is because the event was a celebration of educators, and in a time of cultural gloom, it was a joyful and inspiring tribute to those who give their lives to teaching.
The motto of the College is “Esse Non Videre,” which means “To Be, Not to Seem.” All of those who won awards are literally in the trenches, working in public schools, many of them working with children with disabilities. The woman who was selected as “administrator of the year” is principal of a school in Maryland where all the students are profoundly disabled. In the video that preceded each award, she spoke of her gratitude to do the work she wanted to do. The Educator of the Year is a district superintendent whose parents were immigrants; she has worked in the New York City public schools for almost 40 years. The “Legacy in Education” award went posthumously to Joseph Lewinger, who died of COVID at the very beginning of the pandemic; he was a beloved educator and coach at The Mary Louis Academy in Queens, New York City. His wife accepted the award for him. He was the only awardee working in a Catholic school.
In all the videos that accompanied the Elementary Teacher of the Year award, the Secondary Teacher of the Year award, the COVID-19 Educators, the Rising Stars, and the Educator of the Year award, certain words and phrases recurred: “I was born to be a teacher.” “I’m exactly where I am supposed to be.” “I can’t imagine a better job than the one I have now.” “St. Joseph’s made me the person I am now.” “Service.” “Dedication.” “I always keep learning and growing.” And as Joe Lewinger said to his students, “Rise.”
It was a beautiful, inspiring evening. No complaining. No whining. A celebration of the people who give their lives to educating the next generation.
It was comforting and inspirational to spend an evening applauding these heroes.
What a lovely way to enter the Thanksgiving break, giving thanks to those who serve our society, educate our children, and create a better future.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Thank you for telling the story of a celebration for dedicated teachers who in most ways are unsung heroes. It is lovely for them to get acknowledgement for their hard work and devotion to their students. BTW I once had a principal that encouraged the teachers to “notice students when they are doing good.” I used positive affirmation with my ELLs who were struggling to make sense of their new world. Each student has gifts, no matter how large or small. Positive affirmation should be used authentically, and not overused, as it can appear trite, phony and patronizing. If used in the right situation, it can be helpful to give students a sense of pride and community.
St. Joseph College’s efforts for public schools, as presented, is commendable. Also commendable, the work of Georgetown University’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection whose lawyers are working with the NAACP on a South Carolina case
to prevent the taking of funds from public schools. The opposing side in the case, the Bishop of Charleston (v. Adams.)
There have been discussions at this blog about the liberal element within organizations.
A person can recognize those efforts. At the same time, the likelihood of national and state liberal policy wins is diminished when the right wing wins of those same organizations, don’t serve as warning about where power resides.
Melinda Gates funds the Georgetown Edunomics Lab (Diane posted about it a few days ago.) Melinda talks about fears for women’s equality at the same time she promotes the right wing’s agenda that targets for cost cutting (wages and benefits) the profession that has lifted the most women into financial independence.
State religious conferences have taken ownership for school choice legislation in their states – a substantial right wing win.
Thank you for the excellent spot on recognition of the quiet but very important work of institutions and educators who have worked for justice and excellence in their teaching careers. The good news is that there are many institutions, leaders and teachers who resist and fight back against the destructive media narratives. For example , the Sisters of St Joseph of Rochester educated many teachers, in two girl’s high schools and a college. who later became city school teachers. They were and are prominent for their sense of mission and commitment to academic excellence and social values as they practiced and promoted education for success and justice.
Their Sisters of St Joseph’s social justice mission extends far beyond educational institutions including civil rights work in the South. In 1965 it was their hospital that treated John Lewis after Bloody Sunday and he credited them with saving his life during his visits to Rochester.
But I think that the most important contribution of your blog is the important quotes from the educators themselves to describe their love of their work and the ways they serve. It has been so disheartening to watch education be controlled by politics especially when politics has been all about money, power and position.It is wonderful to be reminded of places and spaces where service is honored.
Doris M. Meadows, Ph.D. Proudly resigned in protest from the Rochester City School District 2001 when I could no longer serve my students.
How wonderful to celebrate educators. I wish I had attended.
Diana knows that I I was celebrated for a while as the National English Council awarded me The NYS Educator of Excellence. I was denied salary for that day, when I went to get this honor in Albany.
Before I met Diane, who came to know in 1998 me when the plutocracy decided to create an ignorant citizenry — by ending a knowledge based, critical thinking curriculum for.its our future citizens! Thus, they made war on experience , genuine teachers… who Know What Learning Looks LIke!” THAT is a special phrase that I never hear anywhere, although Harvard case it to open allies seminars, BECAUSE, YOU SEE, that ability of a talented, experienced TEACHER — to see if that title mind sitting there in front of them, is actually **meeting the objectives (i.e. LEARNING THE SKILLS.)
KDLLL” is the phrase used by the **Harvard’s researchers at their seminars ** (on The Principles of Learning) — when **I was the NYC COHORT ** for the* Pew New Standards*…and they observed and filmed my classroom practice .for 2 years.
At the end of the research, my curricula was one of six that the LRDC showcased at their Seminars for Directors of Education –educators, principals and superintendents from across the US)
The Learning & Research Development arm of the U. of Pittsburg (which ran the Pew study of tens of thousands of teachers in 12 state districts) knew my curricula was unique.
But to the plutocrats taking over our schools, I had to be sent packing!!!!
Thus, the corrupt BOE of NYC District 2, could replace my genuine learning curricula, with the the Gates Curricula Crap, and the Pearson tests, from the EIC; (Educational Industrial Complex) which Dianewrote about decades go) .
One last thing before I describe what NYC did to me, which will shock some of you, but not all of you who know the sbaolure absence respect for our PROFESSION.
There are rewards for genuine service. It is 31 years since the twelve yer old kids sat in my. seventh grade.. where I facilitated their acquisition of writing skills. But they find me on Facebook and the social media, and they tell me what I meant to them, and how they wish their own little children would have a teacher like me.
One former student was in my 2nd grade in 1989… She and I are still in contact, as she shares her life with me.
Now, prepare yourself to learn what they did, to me — until Randi Weingarten stepped in– and Diane Ravitch contacted me to let me know, I was not alone… millions teachers were under assault as the WAR on Teachers was underway.
First The Superintendent of NYC District 2, –without ever notifying me of allegations, or charges, or given gme a hernia, wrote a letter to The Director O Secondary Education Michael La Forgia, which said that
see also Lorna Stretch’s story http://blog.ebosswatch.com/2013/05/one-womans-legal-fight-against-workplace-bullying/
http://nycrubberroomreporter.blogspot.com/2013/10/lorna-stremcha-and-her-rubber-room.html
or Educator recounts harassment at school
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/life/my-montana/2016/03/18/educator-recounts-harassment-school/81896206/
(15) Bravery, Bullies and Blowhards https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/background-information-bravery-bullies-blowhards-lorna-stremcha
Sorry– I clicked post. Here is how NYC celebrated by 20 years of service; After I was put in a rubber room for 6 months, Superintendent Elaine Fink sent a letter that said that I had been “found guilty of corporal punishment.”
IMagine, if I was a young teacher with no ground to stand on.
The NYC UFT rep, Ivan Tiger,told me to “sit down” and listen to the listen to allegations.
I tried.. but when they refused to even tell me who alleged what , about me (I was told that –“it was ‘privileged information!”) I left that kangaroo court, hired an attorney.
It Cost me 26 k to sue the BOE, to get back to the school..
But I never saw my famous practice again.I was assigned to a closet, where they ‘pulled – out” 5 students, each period for m not ‘teach”– depriving them of their classroom experience– something that had never been done at East Side Middle School,
MY room had been emptied, of allay books, the libraries I h work!)
Everything I had put together in 8 years to teach writing and art, everything that put ESMS on the NYC map — from he day it opened, were given away — to other teachers-!
Moreover, my research WITH Pew and Harvard was destroyed!
They ALSO emptied my employee folder, which to this day, had nothing that reflects my excellent career. Nada. All gone.
Even my presence in the school — was NOT tolerated– and within a few months. Dr Denise Levine, who was now Principal, AND who (ironically) had taken my work around the nation when she was curriculum director and I was THE NYC COHORT FOR PEW) NOW alleged that she had been told –by a teacher in the school downstairs- – that I had threatened to kill her. The name of that teacher-liar is no where to be found
That was in the letter that is now IN MY FILE… in place of all my achievements, and the accolades earned over a lifetime of teaching!
.
To conclude…
I celebrate my career knowing that I made a difference! My students tell me so! Still
On the door of my office — as I turn 80 this Thanksgiving — is a letter from the mother of one of my former students (written in 1999) where she states how often she thinks of me, because her son’s presence in my classroom (that year, after his dad had died ) was so important.
I love being a teacher, Diane!
NowI teach seniors here at Cedar Crest, how to take great photo-shots with their iPhone cameras. Soon, I will be doing a little tv talk to the grandparents here — about choosing the most wonderful books ( real) children’s literature) to read to their grandkids.