Ms. George is this month’s Staffer of the Month. She enjoys teaching history, because history is not just about what happened in the past. History contains many life lessons, the consequences of not learning from your mistakes, or how to cope with failure and defeat. She especially enjoys teaching government and economics, because these are subjects that we need to be productive citizens.  These courses enable us to participate in our democracy and make better financial decisions. She chose to become a teacher, because she wanted to do something that could make a difference in society. Ms. George’s most vivid memory was of her 5th and 6th grade teacher, Ms. Jordan. Although becoming a teacher was far from her mind at the time, Ms. Jordan’s combination of discipline and dedication was an inspiration and motivation to Ms. George as a student. Today, she remains Ms. George’s inspiration as a teacher. Unfortunately, she passed away towards the end of 6th grade. Ms. George hopes that her teaching career has honored Ms. Jordan. She also hopes that her teaching has inspired others.

Ms. Georges has many hobbies outside of school. One of them is watching classical movies. By classical, she mean from the 1930s – 1970s. Besides being enjoyable, in a different way than movies today, they are also a glimpse into the lifestyles, morals, prejudices, and triumphs of past America. She also loves to travel and has been all over Europe and Asia. Some countries she has visited include: Britain, France, Ireland, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Japan, China, Turkey, Poland and Russia. Ms. George has experienced many great moments outside of the classroom, especially helping a student solve a problem or regain lost confidence.        

Ms. George also has a crucial role leading FDR’s  Mock Trial team.  FDR’s finest participate in is a state wide competition where students prepare for a trial, much the same way that lawyers do. They have to prepare their witnesses and conduct direct and cross examinations (the questioning of the witnesses by lawyers). They also prepare opening and closing statements. Team members must learn courtroom procedures and etiquette. The case is written and prepared by the New York State Bar Association.  All the participating schools receive their cases in December.  Our FDR lawyers must prepare to perform all of the functions of a real lawyer would at trial. Witnesses must memorize their parts. They must act, but unlike a play, they do not follow a script. Improvisations must be made in accordance to what actually happens at trial. Students must be prepared to make their own decisions and cope with problems. Unlike in other competitions, once the mock trial competition begins, coaches may not communicate with their teams until the competition is over.

Congratulations to Ms. George! A special thank you from the FDR family, for all you do!