Celebrating Outstanding Teachers of the Year
2004
by Joan Baum, Ph.D.
In
only its second year the annual Outstanding Teachers of
the Year Awards breakfast ceremony, conceived and inaugurated
by Education Update (EU) with the generous assistance of
well known corporate and education foundation sponsors,
seemed like a long-time, well-established event. The program
moved smoothly—and joyously—from welcoming speeches
by EU publisher Dr. Pola Rosen and Dr. Augusta Kappner,
President of Bank Street College of Education; to a keynote
address by Dr. Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor of CUNY; to
words from special guest Schools Chancellor Joel Klein;
to a music recital by children from Opus 118, the Harlem
Center for Strings, conducted by Roberta Guaspari; and
finally to the presentation of certificates and medals
to the 38 winners, chosen by EU’s Advisory Board
from a wealth of nominees. The feeling in the air was anything
but pro-forma, as speaker after speaker not only declared,
as President Kappner said, that “teachers matter” more
than anyone else, but that a particular teacher—a
Mrs. Goldberg for Chancellor Goldstein, a Mr. Harris for
Joel Klein—made the critical difference in their
lives. Close to 300 people spontaneously applauded in recognition
of this truth.
Prompted
by the upbeat spirit of the occasion, speakers informally
and often humorously reaffirmed the “unique” partnership
between the NYC Department of Education and CUNY. Chancellor
Goldstein, who has been at the CUNY helm since 1999, noted
the difficulties faced by NYC teachers, both K-12 and CUNY,
which at last count noted 167 different languages spoken
by its student body numbering more than 240,000. Over 60%
of CUNY graduates come from NYC high schools, he pointed
out, many of them bearing witness to the success of Department
of Education—CUNY partnership programs, such as College
Now, high schools on CUNY college campuses (18 sites going
to 28), and the CUNY Honors program. Acknowledging that
CUNY had “lost its way” in the late 70s and
80s, the Chancellor proudly listed accomplishments of the
last several years, including recent initiatives such as
a New School of Professional Studies, under the aegis of
the Economic Development Corporation, where students can
pursue custom-made programs, and the new Graduate School
of Journalism, to open in 2005, which will be the only
public J-school in the metropolitan area and will have
as its mission an urban focus, low cost tuition, and a
commitment to diversity. Challenges remain, of course,
and none more pressing, the Chancellor added, than the
need to involve more African American males in completing
their educations, a project already under way as a model
program at Medgar Evers.
Chancellor
Klein also emphasized the “intertwined” nature of
K-12 and CUNY, pointing out that their mutual goal is to
have a “seamless” set of programs that will
reinforce strengths. Then, recognizing the teacher awardees
as those “at the top in New York City,” he
added that that meant they were at the top “nationally.” But
he, too, like Chancellor Goldstein, acknowledged challenges,
particularly the continuing drain of highly qualified young
teachers who leave the system within 3--4 years.
Sponsors
of this outstanding event who took turns awarding certificates
included Austrian Airlines (which awarded a trip to Vienna
to lucky lottery ticket holders), Con Edison, The Council
for Supervisors and Administrators, The Everett Foundation,
Lindamood-Bell, McGraw-Hill, Mercedes-Benz, The Frederick
P. & Sandra P. Rose Foundation, Scholastic Magazine,
Laurie Tisch Sussman, Time Warner Cable, and Regent Merryl
Tisch.
A
final note. Spurred by the rousing reception given to Opus
118 students, who delighted the audience with Shoshtakovich,
a Spanish tango, some blues, a Telemann, and “The Star Spangled
Banner,” offered in tribute to the victims of 9/11,
Dr. Rosen asked that anyone who had suggestions for a new
headquarters for the group contact EU.#
