In Gratitude to Teachers

Ben and Dave had their last day of school on Friday and are now off for the summer. We are fortunate that they had two great teachers, who pushed them both to learn a lot. Dave commented recently: "At our school in Australia we learned things we already knew, but here in Berkeley we learned things we didn't know."

At first the boys felt overwhelmed by the amount and level of work and were prone to give up before they started. One afternoon, when Dave was getting frustrated by the amount of homework he had been given, Ben encouraged him by saying "You just need a system". An early homework task one teacher gave was to be able to memorise 50 prepositions in alphabetical order. Initially the boys decided that it was impossible, but when a couple of their classmates nearly succeeded, the challenge was on! After three days both boys had managed to memorise all the prepositions in order. Another challenge they were given was to be able to recite pi to as many decimal places as possible - a task the boys took on with relish. We were amazed by the level of their achievements. The teachers also taught the class how to write a persuasive essay, English grammar, dividing fractions, Greek and Egyptian mythology, and American history.

Other less academic, but equally valuable lessons the boys have learned were: how to work a combination lock, how to play American football, gay rights, being part of an ethnic minority and being a member of a band playing the American national anthem in front of thousands of people before a baseball game!

Over the last 7 months, I have had regular hikes with a local friend who has taught me about the geography and flora and fauna of the local area. There is nothing quite like a walk to Wildcat Peak on a clear day with a view of the Bay to facilitate learning about the orientation of San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and Albany. Thanks to my informed walking buddy, I can now tell the difference between a ground squirrel and a regular squirrel, a honey bee and a bumble bee, a starling jay and a regular blue jay. I can now recognise a gopher, a red-winged blackbird and a blue dragonfly, as well as poison oak, pride of Madeira, Californian poppies and majestic Redwoods.

As opposed to a flying visit to a new place, living within a community allows one to soak up some of the collective knowledge of the residents. Through numerous conversations and even short comments, American friends and neighbours have taught me about the devastating San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906, and the protests and arrests of the Berkeley Free Speech Movement in the 1960's. I have been taught about Cesar Chavez, an advocate of workers' rights, and the Berkeley educated architect Julia Morgan. I have increased my knowledge of the author Mark Twain and civil rights leader Martin Luther King. An inspiring choir leader has helped me to improve my singing and a lovely French dancer my rhythmic dancing. Eating the delicious Granola of a friend has encouraged me to cook my own, and seeing the warm generosity of the volunteers at the YWCA has reminded me of the value of giving freely.

So, to Berkeley teachers of all kinds, I say thank you!