Andy Traisman
"I was born and raised in suburban Chicago," says Andy Traisman, whose
T-shirt inscription in Latin, "Eamus Catuli," translates as, "Let's go
Cubs!" Traisman is retiring this summer after 17 years teaching
language arts, humanities, and drama to 7th and 8th graders at Eugene's
Waldorf-inspired Village School, the first public charter school in
Oregon. He created a program that matches middle-schoolers with mentors
in the community to have real-life work experiences and teamed up with
nonprofits to engage the children in learning about climate change.
"For the last 11 years, I've co-taught with a math, science, and art
teacher," he notes. "I've had the opportunity to teach with my heart,
where relationship was the doorway to everything, and the experience of
teaching some extraordinary people, including three of the plaintiffs
in the children's climate lawsuit against the US government." After two
years of study at Illinois State in Normal and Kendall Community
College in Evanston, Traisman finished a sociology degree at Northern
Arizona, where he met renowned professor of humanities and peace Vasant
Merchant. "I took seven classes from her," he says. "I was turned on by
the power of ideas and stories." He remained in Flagstaff for three
years after graduation, working with kids in a parks and rec summer
program, then moved to Seattle in 1981 and completed a year-long
internship program for teacher certification. He taught junior high in
Seattle suburban schools for ten years before relocating to Eugene in
1992. "I opened a coffee cart at 24th and Agate," he recounts, "2nd
Base Espresso, Home of the Everyday Double Play." Two years later, he
took a few UO courses and returned to teaching part time. He joined the
Village School in 2001, its second year of operation.
happening people
photograph and story by Paul Neevel
Eugene Weekly / 2 August 2018
|
|
archive
contact