Mary Ryan
Mary Ryan |
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Presenter: Rena Alessio Baker
The first time I saw her teach I knew I was watching a master. It wasn’t because of degrees earned or even years of experience, it was her passion, energy, enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism. She gave her very best every day in every class for every student. It wasn’t long before she was offering the same to me by supporting, encouraging, and helping me grow.
There are many ways of looking at teaching. You can see it as a science, focusing on measuring, assessing, diagnosing, intervening, evaluating and testing—important aspects of our profession. You can also see it as an art. Mary Ryan is an artist. Not because of the subject she taught, but because through it she enabled students to learn the most valuable lesson of all—they learned about themselves. They discovered their talents and gifts, and developed self-confidence based on real accomplishment and achievement. This is very difficult to measure but of immeasurable value.
It is ironic that the very passion that made her such an effective educator may have led to her leaving the teaching profession sooner than she or any of us would have wanted. However, she has never stopped teaching. She continues to give generously and without hesitation of her time to the students of Revere. They still get her best.
Her belief in them is unwavering and unequivocal. She sees in them what is so often missed. She sees what they can be, and I have watched so many of them come to believe in themselves through her efforts.
She is an artist and an inspiration in the truest sense of the word.
