Share your “extreme teaching” stories

Intense? Passionate? A litle wacky? Let me introduce myself on my attempted teaching practices through the power of one musical...
If you're ANYWHERE near exit 66 of Interstate 84 (CT), and want to see the fifth decade in action, please consider this an open invitation.
Disclaimer note: Joe Connolly isn’t positive he has the years exactly correct, but he knows 2010 makes five different decades for this story. Despite his old age, at least in his children’s eyes, everything else in this article is accurate.
FIVE DECADES OF GODSPELL
The first decade Joe Connolly directed GODSPELL, in the summer and fall of 1979, for St. Matthew’s Church in Tolland, Connecticut, Leanne Dwire would perform O BLESS THE LORD MY SOUL. Joe was heading north to his family’s favorite vacation spot, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, to be a DJ for the summer. His friend, Pete Perreria, had different ideas. After both working on BYE BYE BIRDIE for the East Hartford (CT) Summer Youth Festival (EHSYF), Pete invited Joe to be assistant director for GODSPELL in Tolland. Though Joe loved being a DJ, he loved the concept of GODSPELL more and stayed in Connecticut.
The second decade Joe directed GODSPELL, in the summer of 1988, for the Theatre North Company of Berlin-Gorham, New Hampshire, Leanne was in the audience of the old James River Barn during a night of its run. Joe had been in New Hampshire since 1984, working at 3 different radio stations in New Hampshire and Maine as well as co- anchoring the 1988 New Hampshire primaries for the local TV cable outlet. His full time job was fifth grade teacher in Milan (NH). He also had the opportunity to do several shows for the award winning Theatre North program, where he was asked to direct the 1988 musical of his choice. He chose GODSPELL. Joe still kept his old phone book, and tried to contact several former cast mates from GODSPELL ’79.
Leanne was one of them.
A teacher in Willimantic (CT), Leanne told Joe that if he was ever in Connecticut, he should stop by to say hi. Well, he WAS coming to see the summer musical for EHSYF and…that led to a visit to Leanne, and another visit, and a long distance relationship, so by opening night of GODSPELL ’88, Leanne and Joe became engaged. Joe would be leaving New Hampshire a few weeks after the run of the show to move back to his home state of Connecticut.
The third decade Joe directed GODSPELL, in the summer of 1995, for the Indian Valley YMCA (IVYMCA) of Vernon, Connecticut, Leanne was the musical director. Oh, by then, Leanne had married Joe and they had two children, Erin and Patrick, who were 3 and 1 at the time. Joe had been involved with the early years of the youth theater program for IVYMCA and, on this particular year, offered to start a high school-age program, especially if he could direct GODSPELL ’95 with the assistance of Leanne. The high school program has since re-joined forces with the IVYMCA youth theater program, but, for GODSPELL ’95, it did let the public see the role of Jesus portrayed by an actress.
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The fourth time Joe directed GODSPELL, in the spring of 2001, for the Youth program of the First Congregational Church of Vernon (FCCV-UCC), the producer was Bob LaRochelle, a colleague of Joe’s in the South Windsor, Connecticut school system. This may have never happened, but Joe had been directing the Timothy Edwards Middle School musicals in South Windsor for several years. When Bob became youth minister for FCCV, he was looking for something to bond the youth. While going though the FCCV Family Yearbook, Bob spotted Joe’s family picture and the wheels began to turn. GODSPELL started a run of youth musicals for several years at FCCV, including a production written by two youth of the church (Eric Hutchinson’s and Mike Sadler’s BELIEVER). For Bob and Joe, however, it was already mathematically decided that they should do GODSPELL again in 2010. Erin would be 17 and Patrick 15, and, besides, they might like doing musicals.
The fifth time Joe directed GODSPELL will be on Friday, May 21, and Saturday, May 22, back at FCCV for the program titled FELLOWSHIP 2010. Bob and Joe both still work for South Windsor, but now in 2 different schools. In fact, Bob is now “Pastor Bob” for the First Congregational Church of Union in Union, Connecticut. Leanne, however, is still around and is musical director for this production, while in her “free time” she is getting ready to start her final year of ministry school at ANTS (Andover Newton Theological School of Newton, Massachusetts). Erin and Patrick, students at Rockville (CT) High School, are part of the 2010 cast of youth ranging in age from 7 to 20-somethings. Both are singing solos in GODSPELL 2010. Patrick will perform WE BESEECH THEE as well as lead the audience in an intermission sing along version of BEAUTIFUL CITY.
Oh, and Erin will be singing O BLESS THE LORD MY SOUL.

GODSPELL 2010 will be performed on Friday, May 21st and Saturday, May 22nd at The First Congregational Church of Vernon (FCCV-UCC), 695 Hartford Turnpike (exit 66 off I-84). Showtime is at 7 p.m. both nights. Tickets are based on reserved seating and are limited to 200 tickets per night. Youth groups of all kinds are encouraged attend our ROCK THIS WORLD performance on Saturday. The suggested donation is $7.00 per ticket. More information can be obtained and/or tickets can be reserved by calling the church at 860-875-7580 or contacting the Connolly’s at:
www.freewebs.com/jconnolly/
It should also be noted a worship service celebrating GODSPELL music and parables within the Christian service will be held on Mother’s Day, May 9th at 10:00 a.m. at FCCV-UCC. The guest preacher that day will be Leanne Connolly.

The one teacher who stands out in my life, who was a strong woman and the most perfect mentor, and the person who understood me, was my HS Principal Sr Benign of Alverno High School in Sierra Madre, California.

I was in the first graduating class, and thus I was in a group of very privileged young girls, and we were destined to be all we wanted to be.
I wrote in the 8th grade entrance exams that I wanted to be an ACTRESS, and I am sure she thought this rather silly, but she began a DRAMA club. She brought me into her office and asked me what plays I wanted to act in. I was in heaven.I eventually was Drama Club President. It was not until I was much older that I realized her focus was on me. And, yet, there was more. I was terrible in math. I never was able to pass algebra. My parents hired tutors. On Saturdays, I went to the convent where she tutored me. She realized "something" was wrong. During those years no one knew that much about the learning disabled brain. But, her gut understood my creative energy and my intense passion for the arts. She also saw my intense struggle to work out the numbers and backwords and upside down figures of what I perceived as those crazy scribbles which never ever made sense.

I had received a scholarship to go to a LA College, but there were questions about my math skills. Her letter assured them that nothing would get away with my energy to be a proud graduate. Eventually, I went to school and graduated in NYC. Her fine letter of recommendation was primary to my success.

More than her support her ability to totally understand me and be able to laugh with me and appreciate my strengths, gave me the ability to always know that being intense and creative was OK because if she could love me, than I did not need any one else to approve of me.

When Sister Begina died I thought of all she gave me as a mother and an educator. She gave me so much compassion and unconditionally love. There was nothing I did that was not praised. Her ability to be totally non-judgmental taught me more about teaching than a teaching course. Her warmth and gentleness often stops me from feeling anger and frustration.

She truly was an angel to us all and provided a safe and creative place for all of us to find our dreams and step out of and onto any glittering box and make them come true.

I want to vote for Susan Lynn
North eng elementary School
Jerrettsville, MD

MY LITTLE GIRL'S LIFE CHANGED WHEN HER DAD DIED IN A CAR CRASH.SHE DIDN'T LIKE SCHOOL ANYMORE,AT TIMES SHE CRIED AND BEGGED ME NOT TO TAKE HER TO SCHOOL,SHE FELT INTIMIDATED BY HER FIRST GRADE TEACHER;AFTER COUSELING,PRIVATE TUTORS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES TESTS THAT CAME BACK NEGATIVE;AND A BROKEN HEART. MRS WRIGHT CAME ALONG WITH HER DIFFERENT TEACHING METHODS FROM COOKIE DOUGH TO LEARN THE STATES TO A BEACH BALL TO PRACTICE SPELLING WORDS AND MUCH MORE.ASHLEY NOW IN 4TH GRADE WOULD COME HOME AND TELL ME HOW AWESOME HER TEACHER IS, HOW MUCH SHE LIKES HER AND MAKE EVERYTHING FUN AND EASY TO LEARN.ASHLEY IN CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR GIFTS,PRESENTS,POEMS ETC.TO GIVE TO HER TEACHER TO SHOW HOW MUCH SHE APPRECIATES HER.(I'M ON THIS SITE BECAUSE OF HER).
THANK YOU MRS. WRIGHT FOR CHANGING MY GIRLS LIFE AND MAKING A DIFERENCE. I NOMINATE YOU TEACHER OF THE YEAR. GIDGET VALDEZ.

My high school photography teacher was like no one I've ever met, and he was just amazing. Mr. Dorch or 'Dorch' as we all called him would teach the photography skills we needed and the rest was on us. But hte kicker, he would hang out with us in class like one of our buddies, helping us solve our problems with friends, boyfriends, parents etc all the while making sure we got our work done at our own pace. Of course, it doesnt end there. He would tell us stories about his life, totally made up of course, to see who would believe them, AND THEN he'd never really tell us the real truth. He drew a kindergarten like picture on the chalkboard when we talked about his 'first wife'. IT showed a huge hill, her in a car, and a plane hitting the car which lead to her death and his fortune (it was all told with a smile on his face--he was a goofball). He told us all sorts of crazy stories. It was his way of keeping his real personal life well, personal. And yet, with goofy stories like these with him not sharing much about his real life, we were drawn to be honest and way more open with him than we were with other teachers. I loved that class, and he became one of those special teachers I'll never forget!

I hated going to Pre-Algebra class in high school, I was always confused and didn't pay attention. Anyways, one day our teacher left the room. He was an older teacher, super nice, but let's just say a bit goofy. Out of now where you hear him announcing over the school intercom that he wanted to wish someone a very special birthday wish. The whole class was confused, as I imagine the rest of the student body as well. Instead of saying a person's name like I expected, he started singing to the happy birthday tune, "Happy birthday to Pi, happy birthday to pi,” We were so confused. After he was done singing, he announced that it was pi's birthday because it was March 14th. I couldn’t believe it and died laughing. Then he ran around the school wearing a giant poster board with 3.14 on it. I will never forget that day!

I hated going to Pre-Algebra class in high school, I was always confused and didn't pay attention. Anyways, one day our teacher left the room. He was an older teacher, super nice, but let's just say a bit goofy. Out of now where you hear him announcing over the school intercom that he wanted to wish someone a very special birthday wish. The whole class was confused, as I imagine the rest of the student body as well. Instead of saying a person's name like I expected, he started singing to the happy birthday tune, "Happy birthday to Pi, happy birthday to pi,” We were so confused. After he was done singing, he announced that it was pi's birthday because it was March 14th. I couldn’t believe it and died laughing. Then he ran around the school wearing a giant poster board with 3.14 on it. I will never forget that day!

I attended Pacific Crest, a now defunct alternative high school, and spent a semester where marine biology was infused into every aspect of learning. From math to art to politics, marine biology was weaved into and through all learning, and made relevant. We were visited by politicians who opened our eyes to the critical role that the ocean, and the creatures living in it, played in Earth's life cycle. Our classes were constantly turning into labs, testing water samples and ecosystems. In art, we created a mural on the side of our school of a local tide pool. Of course, the best field trips ever, exploring low tides, regardless of where or when. Who cares about sleep when there are opportunities to identify and track sea stars, anemones, and nudibranchs.

I was so moved by the subject, inspired by the teachers, and responsive to the way we were being taught. Was it how they taught us that got me hooked? I think so. This, "extreme" to me, teaching style invited me to learn in a way I had never experienced before. I was engaged!

I immediately wrangled my way into a job maintaining a bunch of salt-water tanks at a local museum. I then got my diving certification and helped to keep those tanks full of amazing tidal life. After graduating high school, I managed to land a job working for NOAA as a marine technician and spent two years cruising the Alaskan waters tracking marine mammals and doing salinity and core testing.

Did this semester of marine biology immersion change my life? You bet it did!

It was with great awe that I read the post above from Grace. I believe that at some point her physics teacher must have taken a class from my Physics teacher. Dr. Craig Deutche is now retired and I graduated from high school twenty years ago but his lessons and enthusiasm still inspire me.

Like Mr. Lapp, Dr. Deutche also enjoyed laying on a bead of nails for his students. He did it every year and it was a much anticipated event. By the time I was a senior he was doing it outdoors to accommodate the crowd of other teachers and students who came to watch. He wore and old white T-shirt, full of holes and I think that wardrobe element added to the suspense. We knew he had done it before. We understood why it worked, but it was still always a tense moment.

Dr. Deutche taught me about project based learning when he challenged us to build an insulated 'house' out of one and a half cardboard boxes and a light bulb. Whichever team had the hottest house by the deadline won. I don't remember what we won, but I can still explain why we designed our house the way we did. Limited resources, teamwork, competition and the application of the concepts we were learning made the project unforgettable.

At lunch my friends and I would cook up questions to ask him just because he gave such amazing answers. He was gruff and no-nonsense, but he always had time to help a student who wanted to learn. I did well in his class and I often helped my classmates study for the midterms and finals. The experience taught me that teaching something is the best way to learn it.

At the end of my senior year I was shocked to see that my class had voted me, "most likely to take over Dr. Deutche's job." At the time I found this a bit embarrassing and highly unlikely. Today I teach English not Physics, but I would be thrilled if any of my former classmates think I'm even half as good a teacher as Dr. Deutche.