Teacher Feature: Mrs. Nadia Maczaj – Teacher of History, Geography and other things
by Mrs. Raciti
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
― Søren Kierkegaard
At the Saint Therese Classical Academy each subject, the liberal arts, theology, history, and the fine arts are interwoven to reveal the truths of humanity as created by God. All are of equal importance and all require someone who is knowledgeable in not only their particular subject, but is able to expose those connections.
One of those someones is our History/Geography teacher, Mrs. Nadia Maczaj. Her strong Catholic Faith, enthusiasm, and love of learning aids in opening the eyes of the children to a world that is more than just simple historical facts found in a textbook. She shows children how God has ordered our world.
Each day Mrs. Maczaj opens the door to the past with not only stories from original sources, but hands-on projects and deep, mindful discussions. As a passive observer, I am overjoyed to see how much thought and detail goes into each lesson. Mrs. Maczaj has something that, in my 28 years of experience, I have only seen a few teachers possess-this overwhelming urge to never stop learning, and share all you learn with your students.
She also cares deeply for each student. Her goal is to help them reach their fullest potential by pushing them gently to go beyond doing the minimum.
Whether students are making gigantic maps of the world, discussing issues of government,
unfolding the progress of Western Civilization through the Greeks and the Romans, or revealing the beauty of the Middle Ages, Mrs. Maczaj brings depth and excitement to her lessons. She develops the skills and the desire of each student to seek the truth, which is the ultimate goal of our academy.
When asked about her feelings of STCA and her goals as a teacher she replied, “I love the small, family atmosphere at STCA, and I try each day to challenge my students. And they, perhaps unknowingly, challenge me to always learn more myself.”
Her students offer the proof that what she sets out to accomplish each day is achieved.
Katarina, grade 11, says, “Mrs. Maczaj is one of the best teachers I’ve had, not only that but she truly cares for her students. She puts in a lot of work and is willing to do whatever she can to help. I have learned so much and have had a lot of fun in all the classes she taught me.”
Hana, grade 12, also had something nice to say. “Mrs. Maczaj always enriches our experience by bringing her personal knowledge and experiences to our classes, which she leads in discussion. Our lessons are more of a conversation as opposed to a lecture. She enourages us to ask questions, and together we seek the answer, even it takes all period. I love her personal approach to teaching, and appreciate her methods.”
Thank you Mrs. Maczaj for your dedication and love for our students. You are a blessing.
