Retirement typically implies a permanent break from work. Well, not for Mr. Marty Bernstein. After a brief three months in retirement, Mr. Bernstein made his reappearance at Christ Church as Mrs. Quinn’s substitute. His time as an educator, however, has been anything but brief.
About 35 years ago, Mr. Bernstein began work, not as a teacher, but as an information technologist for Reader’s Digest. After 15 years working for the magazine, he was, in his terms, “downsized” from the company. But, he knew he had “always wanted to be a teacher,” leading him to begin teaching math in a school in New York City. He taught, specifically, in the Bronx for two years.
As one can imagine, teaching at a public school in the Bronx is not a task for the faint of heart. Having gang members in his classes certainly did not make for a laid-back teaching experience. While it was certainly a challenge, these two years taught him how to be a disciplined teacher. “Everything after that seemed easy,” commented Mr. Bernstein.
He then went on to teach at a private school north of New York City for nine years before coming to Christ Church. He has taught a variety of math subjects ranging from Algebra 1 to Trigonometry to Geometry. During his time in the Middle School, he primarily taught Geometry Honors and Algebra 1 Honors. Currently, he is teaching Geometry in the Upper School.
When asked about his favorite memory from teaching at Christ Church, Mr. Bernstein started by saying, “This year’s senior class is my most memorable moment.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Bernstein began the year teaching virtually. While Mrs. Cline, the substitute teacher, would help organize the class, Mr. Bernstein would join via Zoom to teach students new content or tell jokes. In March of 2021, he joined the classroom in person once again. His first day back in the classroom after teaching virtually remains one of his favorite memories during his time at CCES. He comments, “I didn’t realize how much I had missed being in front of a class until I came back.” He goes on to say, “I don’t know if you could tell because I was wearing a mask, but I was smiling both inside and out.”
Mr. Bernstein was not the only one grateful for his return to the classroom. Current senior Kayla Brezenski writes, “His class was the one I was always looking forward to, and not just because of the word puzzles and Trader Joe cookies he brought us, but also because he truly cared for us. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to have him as a teacher and learn from him as a student and person.”
While 20 years in teaching is no short career, Mr. Bernstein has no intention to stop being a substitute teacher. He plans on moving to Western Europe, possibly Ireland, and becoming a substitute “if the right job presents itself.”
