Teachers Archives - Page 4 of 5 - StoryCorps

Kate Musick and Harleé Patrick, Jose Catalan and Carlos Vizcarra

For students who are struggling, sometimes the difference between success and failure can start when a teacher takes the time to listen.

In these two stories from our National Teacher’s Initiative, teachers go beyond the classroom to help their students.

In 2004, Kate Musick (top left) was teaching third grade at T.C. Walker Elementary school in Gloucester, Virginia. When Harleé Patrick (top right) walked into the room Musick saw a troubled child.

Harleé is now a teenager, and the two came to StoryCorps to talk about how she made it through that year.

Catalan

The second story comes from Los Angeles, where 19-year-old Jose Catalan (above right), who is studying to become a math teacher, sat down with his former high school teacher Carlos Vizcarra (above left) to talk about how they became friends.

Originally aired April 29, 2012 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

Clairene Terry and Raul Bravo

21-year-old Raul Bravo is an auto mechanic at a car dealership in Chicago.

Back when he started high school, Raul never thought he’d have a career working on cars.

But then Raul met Clairene Terry, an Automotive Technology teacher at Schurz high school.

At StoryCorps, Raul told Clairene just how close to dropping out he was when he enrolled in her class.

Originally aired March 25, 2012 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

Ron Cushman and Jamie Marks

Ron Cushman spent nearly 30 years teaching kindergarten in Bothell, Washington, a suburb outside of Seattle.

But he hadn’t always planned on becoming a teacher.

As Ron told his former student, Jamie Marks, his journey to the kindergarten classroom began when he was wounded in Vietnam.

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Originally aired February 26, 2012 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

Photo: Ron showing off his prosthetic arm to students. Courtesy of Ron Cushman

Roger Alvarez and Antero Garcia

Antero Garcia (right) taught Roger Alvarez (left) in his 9th grade English class at Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles.

That year, the school’s graduation rate was just 42 percent, and Roger was one of the students who didn’t make it through his senior year.

Roger dropped out in 2007 and hadn’t seen his former teacher until the two of them sat down together at StoryCorps.

When they recorded this interview, Roger was working the night shift at a loading dock, and he said he hopes to get his GED one day. Antero Garcia is now an Assistant Professor of English at Colorado State University.

Originally aired January 29, 2012, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

John Hunter, Julianne Swope and Irene Newman

When John Hunter started teaching more than 30 years ago, he wanted to get his students to think about major world issues.

So he invented the World Peace Game. Students are divided into countries, then Hunter gives them a series of global crises — natural disasters, political conflicts — that they solve by collaborating with each other.

Hunter’s classes are remarkably successful at resolving the crises peacefully, a fact made all the more remarkable because his students are in 4th grade.

Hunter recently sat down for StoryCorps with a two former World Peace Game players: 11-year-old Julianne Swope (top photo) and 20-year-old Irene Newman (bottom photo).

HunterExtra

Originally aired December 25, 2011 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

Sarah Benko and Meliza Arellano

Meliza Arellano (R), is an 11th grader at a New York City charter school called Democracy Prep. When Meliza started there four years ago she was below grade level in both math and reading.

She was put in a class that helps students like her get up to speed. Her teacher was Sarah Benko (L).

The pair recently sat down for StoryCorps to look back on Meliza’s 7th grade year — the year she became a serious student.

Originally aired November 27, 2011 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

Ayodeji Ogunniyi

In 1990, Ayodeji Ogunniyi left Nigeria, along with his mother and brother, to come to the United States. They arrived in Chicago, joining Ayodeji’s father, Abimbola “Yinka” Ogunniyi, who had arrived a few years earlier, and was working as a cab driver.

Ayodeji with his father, Abimbola "Yinka" Ogunniyi, at home after church in 1993. Photo courtesy of Ayodeji Ogunniyi.Abimbola always wanted Ayodeji to be a doctor. But while Ayodeji was studying pre-med in college, his father was murdered on the job.

At StoryCorps, Ayodeji talked about how his father’s death changed the course of his life.

Originally aired October 30, 2011, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

Above: Photo courtesy of Ayodeji Ogunniyi

Lee Buono and Al Siedlecki

Al Siedlecki (right)—or “Mr. Sie,” as his students call him—has been teaching science at Medford Memorial Middle School in New Jersey for more than three decades.

But a few years back, as Sie was helping a group of students study for a test, something happened that in all his years of teaching had never happened before: he received an urgent phone call from a neurosurgeon.

As it turns out, the doctor on the phone was Lee Buono (left), who was one of Sie’s students back in the 1980s. Today, he’s a neurosurgeon. At StoryCorps, Lee and Al sat down to tell the rest of their story.

Originally aired September 25, 2011, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.

If you have an inspirational teacher in your life, let them know about The Great Thanksgiving Listen, our national oral history project that empowers students to preserve the stories all around them. 

Jason Weems and his parents, Robin and Warren

Classes begin at Leith Walk elementary school in Baltimore this coming Monday. And Robin Weems will be there to greet her new first grade students.

Robin’s husband, Warren, a retired Marine, will also be there, because Warren is his wife’s classroom assistant.

This husband and wife teaching team sat down to speak with their son, Jason, for StoryCorps.

Originally aired August 26, 2011 on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Walter Dean Myers and his son Christopher Myers

Walter Dean Myers grew up in Harlem as the son of a janitor. Today, he’s the author of nearly 100 books that are very popular with teenagers.

Growing up, there was always one person Myers struggled to impress with his writing – his father, Herbert Dean.

Here he talks about his father with his own son Christopher.

Walter and his son Christopher work on books together – as writer and illustrator.

Originally aired June 17, 2011 on NPR’s Morning Edition.