Although to many the primary function of a teacher is the impartation of knowledge, some educators have a nobler cause: to nurture children holistically through the building up of core values and character. My experience at the Waldorf school at Hawthorne Valley with Mrs. Maynard measured up to just such a standard. Waldorf schools differ completely from conventional private and public schools. The school assigns a main-lesson teacher who stays with the class throughout their first eight years, teaching them everything from spelling and grammar to botany and mathematics. Specialists teach other courses, such as practical arts (woodcarving, handwork, pottery), and languages.
On the first day of school, I met my teacher Mrs. Maynard, a short fiery Irish woman, whose presence immediately comforted me and reassured an insecure boy on his first, fearful day at school. Throughout the four years I knew her, she dazzled me with accomplishments such as elegant handwriting, vivid chalkboard drawings and seemingly inexhaustible knowledge. The outspoken way in which she maintained a healthy balance of order and wonderment in the schoolyard impresses me to this day. If Sebastian, one of the wilder boys, stole the girls’ four-square ball, or Sasha and Michael, two other boys, carried their playful wrestling match too far, our guardian quickly restored order. Instead of acting out of annoyance or disregarding the grievance as would have been easiest, she responded with maturity and thoughtfulness. She returned the ball or split up the tussle accordingly, and then held an equitable conversation with the perceived offender. She would explain the ethical and social implications of the act in a way that conveyed corrective understanding, which motivated improvement out of a sense of responsibility rather than fear.
The many stories told by Mrs. Maynard over the course of my childhood account for some of my most memorable and formative experiences. She was an enthusiastic and vivid story teller and her portrayal of the characters enthralled me. Though these stories varied, there were always strong moral lessons. “The King of Ireland’s Son” became my favorite. This tale told of the eldest son of the King of Ireland, who after winning the love of an enchanter’s beautiful daughter, struggled for many years to free her from the Dark Knight who kidnapped her. The story’s theme of the conquest of good over evil may be found in many children’s books, however to a beholden, wondering child, the raconteur brought the hero’s struggle alive through life-like descriptions of angst and impassioned voices of the cast. The King of Ireland’s son personified chivalry and embodied knighthood in its truest form. He was brave, kind, generous, courteous and honest.
Mrs. Maynard, who elevated her teaching to a laureate performance made a tremendous impact on my sensible mind and effectively influenced the development of the person I am today. Imagine what it was like for me as a first-grader to be seated at a small wooden desk at the front of the classroom, listening to Mrs. Maynard weave tales of mystery and adventure. I was spell-bound as I saw, with crystal clarity, the sun glistening on polished armor, and the golden yellow pennants of the McBlairs flapping in the wind on a cold September morning, in Edinburgh. Moments like these rank among the most formative in my life, when I lived that whole bodied, visceral learning experience that Mrs. Maynard evoked. This is where she succeeded as a teacher, to give students a grasp of culture, academics and ethics, not just with their minds, but with their whole beings as well.
