HOST JACKIE TANTILLO - She Was A Superhero In The Classroom with Guests Michael and James Shapiro

My initial thought was to find information about  William Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden.  I was curious as to the role she played or didn't play in her son's life.  That search led me to Shakespearian expert and Columbia University English Professor, James Shapiro.  His initial responses was, "your podcast will last about 30 seconds because we don't know much about her."  That said, he mentioned that he and his  brother Michael, also a professor at Columbia University (Graduate School of Journalism), would be interested in sharing stories about their mother who had also been a teacher.  Both brothers agree that their mother  "was the greatest teacher ever."  

Unfortunately Lorraine had a very unhappy childhood. She was her father's daughter. The youngest of three children with two older brothers, Lorraine and her mom didn't see eye to eye. Therefore Lorraine lacked self confidence when at home, confronted by her mother. Out of this fractured relationship, Lorraine found a world full of fantasy and boundless imagination with her students. James says  " mom was a pathological fantasist. She believed that every child should have a dream." "Because of her unhappy childhood, continues Michael, she decided to recreate the world by sheer force of imagination and will."

Mrs. Shapiro devoted her life to her family- her husband,  Herb, of 65 years, her children and her students. She  always told her children  that they were  accomplished and that they were going to succeed. That didn't mean that she didn't push them to work harder and do better- perhaps as Michael says "she sent mixed signals sometimes."

During our conversation,  James and Michael share what a brilliant baker their mother was and how hard she worked to have fresh baked individual goodies ready for them each morning before running out the door to teach. However, when it came to main meals/dinner entrees, let's just say that wasn't her strong point.  

Lorraine was  a teacher before she met her future husband.  Once  married, Lorraine's mother pressured her to quit while she was starting a family, insisting that is was completely unacceptable for her to work and raise a family at the same time.  It was 11 years before Lorraine got back to the classroom. Something that her son's know was very hard for their mother, not because she didn't love her family, it was overwhelmingly clear that their mother needed to be in the classroom with her  first graders. "It wasn't accidental that she was happiest with little kids, first graders especially. They know how to dream, they know how to play and they are perfectly happy to buy into her fantasy world," says James."

Both sons love teaching and confess that they are the same kind of teacher that their mother was. They both take her into the classroom with them each day. They adore their mother, her passion and her spark and speak regularly of her magic, wisdom and  charm. "What she represented was strength" continues Michael emphatically. Lorraine may have been petite, but her dreams were big.

James Shapiro-his work has made it to the NY Times Top 10 Books of 2020 list. He's a professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, distinguished authority on William Shakespeare, Former Board Member, now Govenor of Royal Shakespeare Company and he is the Shakespeare Scholar in Residence at the Public Theatre in New York.

Michael Shapiro-Professor at Columbia Univ Graduate School of Journalism, He's written for newspapers in New Jersey and Chicago as well as magazine publications, such as Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, The NY Times Magazine and more.  the author of Bottom of the Ninth and The Last Good Season: Brooklyn, the Dodgers, and Their Final Pennant Race Together plus author of 5 previous books.