I am honored to be here tonight and present the Matthew I. Wiencke award. When considering applicants for this reward, the committee looks for those qualities that Professor Wiencke exemplified: “his infectious wit, his boundless enthsiasm, his optimism, and his loyalty.”
This year’s Matthew I. Wiencke award goes to Alice Lanckton of Newton South High School. Mrs. Lanckton has epitomized the characteristics of the resourceful secondary school Latin teacher. Described by her principal as a master teacher, she has expanded the Latin program at Newton South. In order to accommodate all students wishing to enroll, she has combined unlikely classes so that all students desiring to continue their Latin studies could do so. Mrs. Lanckton moves among the students in these classes with what her department head, Suzanne DeRobert, describes as ‘exquisite choreography” giving students praise for specific actions and creating a cooperative classroom community where all students can learn from one another in small groups. The atmosphere of her classroom is ‘celebratory.’
Mrs. Lanckton rejoices in her students’ learning and also in her own. She has long been a member of the CANE community through her regular participation at the CANE Summer Institute and published an article on paedogogy in the February 2005 New England Classical Journal.
Such are the qualities that Matthew Wiencke embodied and which we honor in his memory today as we also honor Alice Lanckton.
-Submitted by Katy Ganino