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06/24/2015 08:00 AMIn her recent retirement speech after 31 years of teaching, North Haven Middle School 8th-grade teacher Mary Quinn-Devin read a favorite poem and encouraged other teachers to continue where she left off, working for change.
As a teacher for 31 years—20 teaching 8th grade at the middle school—Mary knows a little about how difficult her profession has become, but it hasn’t swayed her love for the profession even now.
Mary says she completely relates to a poem that poet Miller Williams read at President Bill Clinton’s second inauguration, titled “Of History and Hope.” Before Mary exited the stage at a recent meeting and retirement dinner celebration she read it aloud.
“Have compassion for everyone you meet, even if they don’t want it. What seems like conceit, bad manners, or cynicism, is always a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do not know what wars are going on down where the spirit meets the bone.”
It’s how this 73-year old, Boston-born, ex-nun and chaplain turned English teacher has always tried to live her life, and why she continues to be an example to many, including her daughter who is now a teacher, as well as her students, who left many poignant messages in her retirement book.
Mary shares her thoughts on the changing world of teaching, saying, “Teaching is a noble profession. We [teachers] all believed that at one time. Some of us still do.”
But it is extremely difficult, Mary says, “to keep that mindset primary today, when we are surrounded by the naysayers.
“We as teachers know better what is developmentally appropriate for our kids,” but, she says those critics, “obviously missing the whole forest for a few trees, are slowly choking the heart and soul, inspiration, creativity, and inquisitiveness out of teaching.”
Of state mandated-testing, Mary says they are “pointless for the process of teaching and learning, and are simply data collection,” but she still believes teachers shouldn’t lose heart.
“We know why we became teachers—hold on to that passion and desire to make a difference and please don’t drink the Kool-Aid! We know better what is essential to our kids.”
With her kids, Mary’s motto has always been, “I’m here to disturb you”—in other words, to make them think and make a difference, to help her kids be better students and better children.
Many educators and students would agree Mary’s done just that, and she isn’t done yet.
A recent guest speaker delivered more food for thought to her students. Her guest, Holocaust survivor Anita Schorr, spoke to Mary’s class about not forgetting the Holocaust.
Schorr also encouraged the students to take action against bullying and advised them to take their future in their own hands. Mary was excited to see the thinking that took place.
Now retiring and officially closing a chapter on teaching, Mary looks back fondly at her past.
Mary began her work as a nun, and soon after working as a chaplain, a role in which she had “the greatest time in the ‘70s” and the freedom “to do what ever we wanted, it was leading edge.”
Later began her “fabulous” 31-year career as a teacher in North Haven.
“[I’ve been] blessed with the ability to encourage my students to rise to the challenge of becoming their very best selves, and to achieve success, personally, and academically, beyond what they believe they can accomplish,” she says.
Next up for Mary in retirement? “Sleeping in [and] doing advocacy volunteer work,” both in the prison system and bonding work with newborns at the hospital, as well as traveling to Europe.
To nominate a Person of the Week. contact Jaki Lauper at j.lauper@shorepublishing.com.