School is our thing (third episode)
The intervention of Sister Anna Monia Alfieri, expert in school policies
It is inevitable that, "in the middle of the journey of our life", there is a desire to go to the good roots of one's life, to see above all the people who have been part of it in a significant way.
Today I met my shorthand teacher at the Commercial Institute of Nardò, Prof. Ruggeri. I was 16 and I have a vivid memory of a “right” teacher! The rigor, the method of this woman are still alive and fruitful in me.
I had the feeling that this teacher, when she was with us students, was there “to the end”, that she put all her being at our disposal. He explained to us methodically, without wasting time, literally capturing the attention of a class of 28 mostly male students. But it happened that a fly did not fly…. And she explained to the sound of the bell, without us getting tired, because she was able to make us feel that every second, for her and for us, was important.
When we had the afternoon returns I understood that it was more difficult, almost as if she had a thought that was holding her back, even though she was still present to the end. I learned why after a few years. She was widowed at a very young age and had two children to look after: for her the afternoon returns were rather problematic to manage.
This is what great teachers know how to do: putting pupils first when they need them, not so much for culture, but as "dedicated people". The boys understand that there is something special …
Going with the memory to my teachers I could name many who have taught us the sense of rigor, research, method, knowing how to be before appearing. They testified to us with their own lives. The consequence is that the young people of that generation have been helped to be solid adults, in tune with the family. This is, normally, the only possible joint venture to achieve the goal of a balanced company, much more inclined to be than to appear.
But today this pact is broken. And politics ignores it.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/la-scuola-e-cosa-nostra-terzo-episodio/ on Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:27:23 +0000.