How Do You Measure the Unmeasurable?

I recently participated in an amazing community event that had me wondering, “How can a person, group, or committee effectively rate a teacher?” 

I know that there is a movement in that direction, but I find that may just be the equivalent to “Playing God” and not judging “Dancing with the Guest Stars on Love Boat.” This event I speak of was at charity walk-a-thon at and a fantastic event to behold.

Hosted by the EMHS National Honor Society and organized by two of the most outstanding teachers/advisors I have ever met. A bunch of area businesses were generous with their donations of food (Cookies, cakes, pizza, gatorade, chips, salsa, heroes, Baklava, Spanakopita, Pastafazool),  merchandise and raffle prizes. But what surprised me most were the Hundreds of East Meadow students that donated and participated in this event.

This particular event was for 21 year-old Matthew Rosiello, who desperately needs a liver transplant and the overwhelming funds not covered by insurance needed to pay for this life saving procedure. So here are teachers, staff, administrators and others taking time from their busy class time, regents reviews, AP synopsis, remedial drills, essay evaluations, gym lesson plans and so on to stand and help or walk in the searing heat and sun for another human being they might barely know.

They encouraged not just the members of the EMHS society that felt an empathy strongly enough to organize this extravaganza, but hundreds of other students to give of their time and of themselves as well. These teachers led by example, something that is immeasurable by modern standards.

These professionals educated our children in ways here , that do NOT show up in ANY Newsday surveys. These extraordinary instructors showed that there is more to teaching our future generation than the three R’s and gym. And cannot be compared to so called “high scores  in education and language skills of children competing  from other countries.”

And I dare any superintendent, professor or any duly elected official to show me how that can be measured, evaluated or logged in a report.

It is at times like these that I  reflect on my past. I was a fairly bright high school student  with a dim future ahead, growing up in the 70's in Brooklyn, that looked so much like reruns of “Welcome Back, Kotter!”

My mom was sick with cancer and I was slated to go to a CUNY or SUNY College. I would probably have graduated (much like my brilliant doctor wife) buried up to my eyeballs in student loans and  growing debt that would take me decades to get rid of. But it was my high school English teacher, Ira Shatzman, who asked me for two essays on weird subjects at the time and a check for $35, that got me a FULL SCHOLARSHIP to St. Joseph’s College and a future.

This one caring, kind, nurturing teacher did what no person, group, or committee could measure, except me. This man taught life lesson’s as well as his subject matter. This educator taught responsibility, truth, honesty, hope, altruism, punctuality, as well as punctuation. And I know that those of you reading this each have a story of a teacher who not only taught you how to pass a test , but how to pass the “Test of Time.”

For every person I know there is a Mr. Shatzman, Mr. Berger, Ms. Sidieri, Ms. Lannon, Coach Rhodes, and so on and so on. So the next time you read in the paper that someone wants to “Evaluate a Teacher based on Performance,”  ask yourself this. “How is this measurable?”

What is the atomic weight for nurturing? Where would Einstein, Roosevelt, Hagadorn, Gates, Hawking, Lucas, Powell, Winfrey, Sagan, or Mule be with teachers that were evaluated just for their educational successes only and did not contribute to their students growth as a leader of tomorrow? And then maybe you can dumb it down and explain it to me!

* By the way , if you didn’t know- Jim Mule is a proud EMHS Alumni  and was named Professional Sports Coach of the Year for 2010, still lives on Long Island, supports countless Long Island Charities, is an honoree at this year’s EMHS Senior Sports Banquet and thanks his teacher’s at EMHS every day for taking a personal interest in him, as he does with those he coaches and teaches.) And I am honored and proud to call him my friend!  

Plus I would like to thank each and every participant in the EMHS Charity Walk-a-thon  for my nephew – Matthew Rosiello and hope that at next year’s event he can thank you all in person.