Arlene Morris-Lipsman

Many of my articles are about the remarkable students I taught during my long teaching career with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. While the students mentioned in these articles stand out in my mind, I enjoyed working with all the students I encountered over the years and learned much from them.

Some of my articles concern my stepdaughter “Amanda.” Amanda is a special needs woman who has grown from a dependant teenager into an amazing young woman during the time I have known her.

The articles listed on the left were all published in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

During my teaching career and even after I retired, I would sometimes find newspaper items about former students of mine who had died from an overdose or violence or who had themselves committed a criminal act. I discuss my feelings about these senseless deaths in this article.

This article relates how my special needs stepdaughter moved out of the family house into an apartment of her own. It tells the story of “Amanda’s” courage as she leaves the security of a home life she has always known and begins to forge her own path.

Click here to read “Moving Out, Moving On” online.

During my career I had to deal with bullying several times. But nothing compared to the bullying I encountered in my last year, when an entire class turned on one young girl. As I discuss the traumatic events of my final year in this article, I also reflect upon my own school days and a classmate who was the victim of bullies.

Click here to read “Letter From A Teacher” online.

Because of the women’s movement, women began seeking careers far beyond the once typical choices—teaching, nursing, and secretarial. In this article I discuss how the woman’s movement affected both me as well as the teaching profession.

This is the story of a former student of mine who had Tourette Syndrome. (See my biography for a further explanation of Tourette Syndrome.) I recognized his symptoms and was able to get him to a doctor who diagnosed him. Through an unfortunate set of circumstances he stopped taking his medication. I haven’t heard from him since he left my classroom, but I hope, as an adult, he was able to get the treatment he needed.

This is a lighthearted essay about porch cleaning. Once a summer, as soon as light breaks, usually around 5:30 a.m., I clean my front porch. In this article I share my feelings about this early morning world I so enjoy.

Click here to read “Early Morning” online.

The last few years of my teaching career were tough ones. To me, the students just didn’t seem to care about school. After I retired I never reflected back on my time in the classroom. Two chance letters from former students, thanking me for the impact I made on their lives, caused me to remember why I had become a teacher and why I stayed so long in the profession.

Click here to read “Big Lesson From Ex-students” online.

Although my special needs stepdaughter and I always seemingly got along, I experienced several acts of her defiance, which often embarrassed and hurt me. We never really connected emotionally until recently. This article explains how we finally became mother and daughter.