the shoulders of giants . . . and not-so-giants (part 5)

Undergraduate Teachers (I majored in Religious Studies and Music at Ithaca College)
Dr. M. - My saxophone professor. (I spent many hours studying with this man. He taught me how to how to learn, how to teach, and the mechanics of doing both (although I wonder if that's what he meant to do). He also taught me how to be the world’s best saxophone player (if that was what I wanted, which I didn’t). Every time I pick up the saxophone, I find myself learning something new that started as a seed that he planted. I still have many of my old lessons with him on tape.
Kevin M. - taught me what Shakespeare was really about. I had him for 8am Intro to Poetry my Freshman Year. At 8:02 am, first day of class, my first day of college, Corey walked into the classroom and sat across from me. (And I'll tell you that story another day.)
Alice M. - Alice taught me about Mysticism, dreams, and the existence of “energy”. She lived her subject more than anyone I had ever met, and I knew there was more going on than just what she was saying. The presence of "God" or "the Universe" became a very real, tangible thing in her classroom. She was the reason I changed majors to Religion my Junior year. She also inspires much of what I teach my own students. (She wrote me a recommendation for this job, and I was SO happy to be asking her for it. "You're following your bliss," she said. "Good for you." Thank you, Alice.
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Dani N. - A math teacher who taught nothing but love. He taught me to appreciate math, and that it was not my fault that I hated math. Math can be very beautiful. His parents were holocaust survivors, and he carried the pain of that experience around with him every day. The light in his eyes, though, shone more radiant because of the darkness behind it. I have a colleague now who reminds me of him.
Mark R. - Music history professor. Awakened in me a passion in history that I could never have imagined. The only person I’ve ever met who deserved the title “history teacher” (Until this year. I've met another.) He was a weight-lifting organist with a passion for Italian opera. I loved his class on Puccini.
Dr. Mary A. - The woman responsible for the only D+ I've ever received in my life. The college-equivalent of Brother J. from high school. Toughest, most dedicated teacher in that school. She knew her stuff cold, and expected you to do the same. To this day, I have tremendous respect for her.
Brian K. - Introduced me to the east, sitting quietly, and Tibetan Buddhism. Taught me what meditation is all about.
Lee B. - Introduced me to Jung, Joseph Campbell, and the wonder of myth. Inspired much of what I teach in my "Story and Ritual" class. Taught me about discipline.
Mike M. - My first philosophy professor. Taught me how to appreciate philosophy and gave the most interesting final I’ve ever taken in my life. (It was a blank sheet of paper upon which we were to write -- for two and a half hours -- a question and an answer worthy of his course. (I suggested that to my students today, and they all agreed that that would not be a good way for me to assess their knowledge in my class.)
Lawrence Doebler - Choral conductor who taught me, in my very first attempt at singing in a choir, to love singing so much that a good choir now makes me cry. It really does!

Posted: Tue - February 3, 2004 at 10:32 PM

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the shoulders of giants . . . and not-so-giants (part 5)

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