TEACHER PROFILE: Familiar scenery for Gunn's Lurie

Name: Rachel Lurie Occupation: High school English and communications teacher School: Henry M. Gunn High School Where she went to high school Gunn, class of 1990 How she got into teaching: "I've known since the second grade I wanted to be a teacher. Janette Way, my first- and second-grade teacher, and all my teachers at Ohlone (Elementary School) inspired me. I used to tutor when I was in fifth and sixth grade." Since high school graduation: "I went to Wesleyan, where I was an English major. I also taught dance there. After I graduated I had an internship at a private school in Brookline, Mass.--the Park School. I taught eighth-grade English, drama, fourth grade and kindergarten. I wasn't sure what level I wanted to teach, so I taught a few months of each. Then I taught fifth-grade English, full-time, at Pinewood. I also directed five shows at the school. After that I decided I definitely wanted to go into public school. I liked the style at Park, and I knew I wanted that approach. I was inspired to go back to grad school and do some thinking about the issues. Where she went to grad school: "I went to the STEP (Stanford Teachers Education Program) program at Stanford. It is a one-year program where you get your master's in education and a credential. I student-taught at Los Altos High School. I had incredible mentors there--Gordon Jack and Sarah Mapper." Returning to Gunn: "At first I was really nervous. I thought I might feel like a student, not a teacher. But the people I call my fairy godmothers--Tim Farrell and Jim Shelby, my old teachers--helped me out so much. These people are so much a part of who I am that to have them right here is incredible. But I still have trouble calling Mr. Farrell 'Tim.'" What she learned from them: "They have had a huge impact on the way I think education should be. They have such tremendous respect for students. What she was like in high school: "English was always my favorite subject. I was really quiet. I never spoke in class." How this helps her now: "I've learned from that. There are some people who are always speaking in class, and there are others who are quiet. I try to get everyone to speak in class. ... I call on people all the time. I push everyone to speak in class. A lot of the time I base curriculum on my experiences as a student. I can shape the lesson plans to weed out the parts that I didn't like when I took the class. One thing I hated was the student profiles. They were always done the first week of class, and the interviewer would always focus on one thing about the person. I remember when I took the course I felt like it pigeon-holed the person. I was known as the drama student for the rest of the semester. So, I moved the profiles to later in the semester." How she mixes drama and English: "I remember reading plays in class. I used to dread it. But I also loved drama. So, I want to be able to bring this enjoyment into the class. We are doing a lot more with acting out scenes and acting skills in my Speech Communications class." Outside of class: "I live in Palo Alto. It's weird: I see my students in the grocery store; they say 'Hi.' It's almost like being a celebrity."

--Charlie Breitrose

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