An Army of One
October 23, 2009
Momenia Ali had a secret. But now she’s decided to introduce the world to Vernon Daniels.
“He does a great job for the neighborhood, and I had to let someone know,” she said.
Ali, a nurse who lives in the West Harlem area where Daniels works, couldn’t help but notice the results.
“He’s a great worker. He goes out of his way to help the disabled. Everyone admires him,” she said. [Read more]
A Tribute to Teachers
June 5, 2009
Everybody remembers a favorite teacher. Whether it was someone who pushed you harder, became your friend or simply cast life in a different light, educators stay with us long after the last day of school.
But for individuals who can have such an impact on our lives, teachers rarely get the recognition they deserve. That’s why Manhattan Media started the Blackboard Awards for Teachers. The idea is to salute those classroom leaders who not only nail the basics but go above and beyond the call of duty to help their students succeed. [Read more]
Charter’s Dynamic Duo
June 5, 2009
Team teaching requires give-and-take. Sahba Rohani and Rebecca Williams—who completed each other’s sentences as they answered questions on speakerphone from their kindergarten classroom—clearly have this knack. Theirs is an arranged marriage that works, built on a shared passion for families and community at the aptly named Community Roots Charter School.
“When we first met,” Rohani said, “we talked about how important it is that we have a classroom community that creates—” [Read more]
Love First, Teach Second
June 5, 2009
Carolyn Silberstein knows that curiosity thrives when students start to feel comfortable.
“They need to feel the classroom is their place,” she said. “Once we’ve done that, we’re golden and we can go on to learn.”
Silberstein, who has been teaching at Temple Emanu-El Nursery School for 20 years, begins every morning with hugs and kisses. And not just a few scattered hugs and kisses—“She kisses every child hello,” said Jill Bernstein, who was Silberstein’s assistant teacher for 14 years before moving to her own classroom across the hall. [Read more]
Cooking Up Young Learners
June 5, 2009
Most children don’t walk into their kindergarten classroom on Monday morning to the smell of freshly baked muffins.
But parent Princess Prince-McCoade describes dropping her daughter off at the Central Park East I pre-K/kindergarten classroom and finding steaming Ziploc bags wafting out the scent of freshly baked pumpkin or banana muffins. The baked goods are a snack for the ice-skating trip that Yvonne Smith’s class takes weekly in the winter. [Read more]
Support, No Matter What
June 5, 2009
For the past four years, Debra Robinson has gone to Birch Family Services Mill Basin Early Childhood Center to teach children who fall on the autism spectrum. But her dedication to helping these children and their families extends far beyond the classroom.
“We spoke on the phone almost every day,” said Michele Montanez, whose 6-year-old son Brandon was in Robinson’s class for two years.
[Read more]
An Unassuming Brilliance
June 5, 2009
Birthdays are always special, but in Liza Akeret’s “4’s” class at Epiphany Community Nursery School, they are marked with a birthday crown, special song and handmade cards. Parent Anthony Pratofiorito recalled his daughter’s recent celebration. Akeret asked students to say something that they liked about the birthday girl, and compliments ranged from, “She likes to play with me on the rooftop!” to “She’s my girlfriend!” At home later, his daughter was bursting with excitement: “Did you hear all the things my friends said about me?” Pratofiorito recalled her saying. [Read more]
The First Grade Transformation
June 5, 2009
Camille Ehrenberg likens the development of her 1st graders to a child’s first year of life: a short period of incredible growth and change.
“It’s extraordinarily visible. You can’t miss it,” Ehrenberg said. “When they leave, they are totally transformed.”
Ehrenberg’s fascination with child development led her to teaching. She spent eight years as an attorney, litigating libel issues and then matrimonial law. [Read more]
From Filmmaker to 4th Grade
June 5, 2009
In Hollywood films, compassionate, inspiring teachers are easily found. Thomas Roberts, a 4th grade teacher at Trinity School, brings that enthusiasm to the real world.
“Learning is a joy in Mr. Roberts’ classroom,” said parent Bahar Tavakolian. He is everyone’s favorite teacher—be it a girl or a boy, an introverted student or an extroverted one…he teaches his students respect for others, kindness and how to be a great citizen of the classroom, the school and the world beyond. He’s an incredible teacher.” [Read more]
Shapiro’s Creative Curriculum
June 5, 2009
A longtime advocate of music in the classroom, P.S. 199’s Elaine Shapiro once took her class to a rehearsal for a piano concerto. After the performance, students spent time asking the soloist questions. When someone asked what the pianist’s outside interests were, she said she had a compound upstate where she harbored wolves. Shapiro’s interest was immediately piqued. [Read more]
