By Eleanor Kazdan, January 23, 2020 — Many people remember a teacher who made a real difference in their lives. Mine was Helen Mitchell. I met her in 11th grade when my family moved and I started a new school. Mrs. Mitchell taught French and German. I had taken French since 8th grade and German for only a year. My French teachers were unmemorable, and my one year of German was conducted mostly in English.
The first day of 11th grade, I was thrust into a new school, and language classes, where the teacher spoke no English in class and refused to allow the students to utter a single word in English. If we slipped up, we had to put money in a piggy bank on Mrs. Mitchell’s desk. She inspired fear in us. No one would dare incur her wrath by not doing their homework. She roamed the classroom and often diverged from the formal instruction to tell us about her student days living in France and Germany. She was stern, exacting, and kid. I fell in love.
On my first day of German, I was the only student who didn’t understand a word Mrs. Mitchell said. I was astounded that after only 3 weeks of daily classes I understood everything.
After 3 years with Mrs. Mitchell, I could speak both languages passably. What a thrill it was when my friend Kathy and I went to Europe during university days and could speak to people in their own language.
To this day I am so grateful to a wonderful teacher for my love of foreign languages and my ability to communicate in them.