MAT Notes and News

Long hiatus in postings here, but the blog is now making its way back into my regular routine. Time now for a few up-dates on Public Elementary MAT alumni comings and goings and doings. After teaching for a spell at the Cambridge (MA) Community Art Center, Allison Mandel (’08) ventured to Japan, where she now teaches at the Aichi International School in Nagoya. It’s a bi-lingual, Japanese-English school; Allison is the lead teacher for 2nd grade, and also teaches math to grades 3, 4, and 5. It is, she says, “a unique and lovely school,” and altogether a remarkable experience. Last year her second-graders and Katalin Wiggins (’08)’s third graders became pen-pals. Katalin herself is now in her third year teaching 3rd grade at the Northeast Elementary School here in Waltham. So, she is part of the team at a school that has been a terrifically welcoming and important site for the growth and learning of many MAT students. Indeed, last year Katalin hosted Public Elementary Cohort V for several Making Art sessions with Robin Dash. Great neighbor!

Another nearby alum and great neighbor is Kim Canuto (’08), now in her third year at the Neighborhood House Charter School (NHCS) in Dorchester, where she teaches third grade. Last year, she won the school’s New Teacher Award. Congratulations Kim! Knowing that Kim is part of the dedicated NHCS faculty makes it that much more of a pleasure that Katie Reed (’11) is doing her internship there. Meanwhile, down the road a little farther, Efrat Kussell (’06) teaches 6th grade math at the Explore Charter School in Brooklyn New York. Since graduating from Brandeis, she has taught at the school in various capacities from 2nd grade on up. She reports that in a recent class discussion of “the three values that excellent math students embody—kindness, productivity, and curiosity—one student declared that ‘being curious means that you are really wondering about why other people think the way they do and you want to find out,’” to which Efrat responded with pleasure that “wondering about why other people think the way they do is what I do all day long: That’s a big part of being a teacher...I am thrilled to know that I'll have company in doing so.” A motto for us all, perhaps: Wondering about the shapes and reasons and trajectories and surprises of other people’s thoughts is a special pleasure, and functional capacity, at the heart of teaching.

Rachel Geringer-Dunn (’06) has recently moved to NYC herself. She is a founding teacher of Girls Prep, a charter school in the Bronx, where she is 1st grade Lead Teacher. Starting a school is outrageously hard work! Good luck to Rachel, her colleagues, and the girls and young women they serve, and their families. More news, briefly: Brian Bisceglia-Kane (’06), another Brandeis MAT neighbor, is in his fourth year teaching third grade at the Butler Elementary School in Belmont MA. I am reliably informed that he was married on Cape Cod in September. Congratulations Brian! Also still accepting congratulations is Elissa Schechner (’08), who gave birth to Avishai (Avi) Jacob Schechner in February, and a beautiful boy he is. Elissa also teaches in the Workingmen’s Circle in Brookline MA. Finally (for now), Marianne Stabile (’07), after teaching outside of Atlanta, and then in Abu Dhabi, has returned to the Northeast. She now teaches 4th grade up the road in Lynn MA. She also was centrally involved in a wedding in the recent past I believe. Congratulations Marianne, and welcome back to New England! Come by and visit. (Alumni! Follow this link for announcement of induction meetings and events this year.)

That then is a brief up date on what some of our terrific alumni are up to; you’re also welcome to read more and see some cheerful photos here. To alumni and all: What vigor and variety, intelligence and commitment, you bring to teaching! Thank you.