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Honoring Ms. Goldstein
 On
Sunday, February 21, 2010, Ms. Sheri Goldstein will receive the
Educator of the Year Award at Ida Crown Jewish Academy's 68th Annual
Dr. Edward A. Crown Scholarship Dinner and Silent Auction at the Hyatt
Regency in Chicago. Please join us in honoring Ms. Goldstein by coming to the dinner (young alumni receive a special rate) or join an alumni group ad. For $36, alumni will be listed with a short message. For $18, alumni will be listed. Alumni who come to the dinner will be automatically included in the ad. Email Melissa Lipschultz to join the ad. Read the article below in recognition of all that Ms. Goldstein has done for Academy students. You can also post your own memories to our Facebook page. Honoring Ms. Goldstein For 23 years, ICJA English teacher provides gifts of a lifetime As Ms. Sheri Goldstein devours the text of any one of her favorite books during an English class, it's not clear to many of her students whether they're learning more from the author or from the passion pouring forth from their beloved teacher. It's likely the combination of both that is so inspiring. Alumnae Shira Wakschlag ('00) recalls, "Ms. Goldstein was always extremely energetic and passionate in the classroom. She is an incredibly vibrant teacher, and she infused all of her students with a love of literature, ideas and stimulating discussion. I was privileged to be her student and still think back on my class with her very fondly." Ms. Goldstein attributes her passion in teaching to her love of books. She encourages her students to look at the complexity of sentences, which reflect the complexity of the characters. "We examine the characters to see how can our lives be enriched." "Someone asked me how I can teach the same book 20 years in a row? When I'm teaching it to this class, it's the first time they're reading it. They give me sense of wonder, I'm still seeing the world with open eyes," says Ms. Goldstein. "Whatever unit I'm doing is my favorite." More than just a love of literature and writing, Ms. Goldstein tries to instill passion in her students. "I want students to find those things they love and follow those passions. That's essential to having a positive life experience," she says. Each year Ms. Goldstein is able to provide her students with gifts of a lifetime precisely because she considers her work such a gift. "I love teaching and I love kids, especially high school kids," she says. Ms. Goldstein seems to love her students even more than books. Ask her to recall memories of students throughout her 23 years teaching at ICJA, and she lists scores of students. She names dozens of them and has fond memories to go along with each one. If that wasn't enough, Ms. Goldstein has a stack of letters from alumni, expressing their gratitude for all that they learned. "On a rainy, cold day I'll go and read them because they're about making connections. Several teachers really changed my life in high school, but I never told them. But the thing about Academy students, is that they tell me." Just to cite a few, Ms. Goldstein rattles off a list of students who have gone on to teach, many of whom have told her that she influenced their decisions. One student, who now teaches English and seeks advice from Ms. Goldstein, wrote that she never looked at English in the same way. One boy who never liked to read "told me he started reading in my class." Another former student presented Ms. Goldstein with a poem on last day of class, saying, "She will think of me every time she opens a book. How about that as a legacy?" Leah Panitch Finkel recalls how Ms. Goldstein spent so many lunch meetings with her during her preparation for college. "She was always so interested and concerned about her students' future. Even to this day she always remembers what's going on in my life." After 23 years of teaching English in every grade level, public speaking (a course which she created) and journalism, Ms. Goldstein cannot choose a favorite. "Whichever class I'm teaching at the moment is my favorite. And I mean that. The day it becomes a chore, is the day I will retire." Please join us in honoring Ms. Goldstein by coming to the dinner (young alumni receive a special rate) or join an alumni group ad. For $36, alumni will be listed with a short message. For $18, alumni will be listed. Alumni who come to the dinner will be automatically included in the ad. Email Melissa Lipschultz to join the ad. |
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