October 11, 2023 by Eliza Krackeler (‘24)
What have you taught throughout your time at Saratoga?
Latin 1 and 2 Accelerated, Latin 1, Latin 2, Latin 3, Latin 4, Latin 5, 8th grade French, French 1, and French 2.
Where did you attend college?
Magistra attended the University of Albany and graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree. She recalls her time in college as one that promoted her intellectual curiosity. At her university, she was able to cultivate her love for learning through language and history. She said, “if someone would have paid me to be a student for the rest of my life I probably would have said yes.”
Is this what you planned to do when you started out in college?
“Yes. I’m one of those rare people that never change,” Magistra said immediately. She has wanted to be a teacher from second grade onward. The only thing that changed for her was the target. She originally wanted to teach elementary students, but soon found that her true calling lay in languages, not math or science.
What are your hobbies outside of school?
“I play piano, badly,” Magistra said in response. But she also loves to ride horses. In class she can oftentimes be heard sharing an anecdote or two about her own horses and their mishaps, succeeding in reinforcing the meaning behind the term “horseplay.” She also enjoys reading, as can be expected from a language teacher and grammar fanatic.
What does an ideal weekend look like to you?
It all starts with nice weather. Her horses are behaving; her husband has some free time. It’s overall simply a break from the everyday routine. She can also occasionally be found watching Jeopardy, answering all the Latin and Roman history related questions correctly, and marveling at the participants who get simple mythology questions wrong. Her students have often encouraged her to go on the show herself, but she always says that the night she goes on Jeopardy will be the night they ask no Latin questions at all.
If a genie granted you 3 wishes right now, for what would you wish?
- World peace.
- An end to cancer.
- An end to Covid. After teaching during the turbulent times of the pandemic, Magistra said that she “was in survival mode.” She ordinarily handles class as close to the Roman way as possible, strictly utilizing the blackboard and a no technology policy in her classroom. But Covid threw that out the window (or tried, because the windows in G206 are notoriously difficult to open). “Looking back, it’s hard to believe I got through it,” Magistra said. Luckily, she received support from French teacher Mr. Quinn along with the cooperation of her students.
How would people close to you describe you?
Hardworking (some might even say she works too hard from her near perfect attendance throughout her entire teaching career), loyal, and quiet.
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pizza. A classic meal, this is a fan favorite of Magistra’s. She recommends the restaurant on Geyser Road called Pizza Etc. This is fitting for a Latin teacher, as “et cetera” is a Latin phrase meaning “and so on.”
What is your biggest accomplishment?
“According to the Retirement System, having taught for more than forty years,” Magistra joked. But in truth, she believes her greatest accomplishment to be the enhancement of the academic experience of many students. The intersection of grammar and culture, Magistra’s class can only be described as unique; it combines collaboration, grammar jokes, and obscure facts about Ancient Romans and the origin of pants that all contribute to a better understanding of the unit.
It’s safe to say Magistra cares about her students as well as the learning that goes on in the classroom. Magistra announced her retirement last school year but opted to return to Saratoga Springs High School to teach part time to allow Latin 3 and 4 to finish their Latin career.
And her students certainly haven’t taken that for granted. Isabella Caramadre, a senior and Latin IV student, who has been taking Magistra’s course since freshman year, only has great things to say about her. Caramadre said, “She is practical and kindhearted with a pure passion for the humanities that is infectious.”
Which is yet another testament to her selflessness, particularly after a career of over forty years.