As Stephen Vazzana took attendance on the first day of class at St. Louis School Aug. 24, giggles rippled through the room of 31 seventh-graders.

"David Robbins ... ah, Red Robbins," he said to one student.

"Where's Tagamet? Ryan Taggarse," he called out to another.

And just like that -- like hundreds of students before them -- David and Ryan had just been issued the classroom monikers they'll hear all year long, and likely remember for years to come.

For more than 30 years since he began teaching at the Clarksville parochial school, Vazzana has given each student a unique nickname. Some come to him instantly, while others take time to develop. Each pupil usually has established a nickname by the end of September, according to the veteran teacher.

Vazzana, 62 -- or "Mr. V" as he is known to students -- is starting his 40th year of teaching at the Clarksville parochial school. Known not only for his inventive nicknames, but also for his off-beat neckwear collection and his devotion to the subjects of history and language arts, Vazzana is something of an institution at St. Louis.

"He's a part of St. Louis School. (He) always will be," principal Terry Weiss said.

Weiss said she credits Vazzana's enthusiasm and his deep knowledge of the subject matter he teaches as reasons for his popularity. "He doesn't even need a textbook," Weiss said.

Vazzana also has a reputation for being dependable. When she began as principal at the school 14 years ago, he was instrumental in helping her adjust, Weiss added.

Nicknames and neckties

Vazzana began teaching at St. Louis in 1970 upon graduating from Towson University, following in the footsteps of his mother, Julia, also a teacher.

He had no way of knowing how long he would remain at the school, or how satisfying he would find his work.

"I never expected to stay here this long," he said. "There is this feeling of Christ-centeredness ... It is very fulfilling to me."

The first nickname Vazzana devised was his own. When a student in the late 1970s was unable to pronounce Vazzana's name, he asked the student to call him "Mr. V." He then began giving nicknames to students.

"It just sort of comes naturally," he said. "I just pull them from my head."

Sometimes, he will play on the student's name or personality. Because he is Italian, he also gives a lot of Italian nicknames, such as "Father Guido Scarducci."

Elizabeth DellaRatta, a St. Louis alumna and now a parent of a student there, said her nickname was "Fracas."

"It was because I was always causing a disturbance," the 1977 graduate recalled.

It seems that few of Vazzana's pupils forget their nicknames.

"Everyone had a nickname. Everyone remembers," said Kate Douglass, a former student of Vazzana's and now a music teacher at St. Louis. Her nickname was "Dootsie."

Besides the fun she had in his class, Douglass said she considers Vazzana's passion for teaching and belief in his students as a personal inspiration.

"He influenced what kind of teacher I want to be," Douglass said.

Nicknames, along with his unusual necktie collection, are part of Vazzana's effort to infuse humor into the classroom.

"I think it is important to add humor to every class, if possible," he said of his collection of about 70 themed ties, including ones with Snoopy and Mr. Potato Head on them, and another with one of his favorite sayings, "English empowers you to edit your life."

"It's important to present a certain image to the students," he said of wearing the ties.

Michael "Funzy McNaughty" Grasso, 14, and a rising freshman at Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, said Vazzana made history fun for him.

"He just makes you feel comfortable in the classroom," added Grasso, who said his nickname stemmed from his ever-present mischievous smile.

Humor in the classroom, however, doesn't equate with academic leniency, according to Vazzana's former students who recall his pop quizzes.

"He really made (the lessons) come alive for us, but he was no-nonsense as well," said Michelle "Kemper" Kemp, a third-grade teacher at St. Louis and one of Vazzana's former students.

Vazzana credits the St. Louis community, including his fellow teachers, staff, students and parents as reasons for his success as an educator.

"The people at St. Louis are a family to me," he said. "I respect them; they respect me."

---

user comments (1)

user anotherwaytoseeit says...

Great work Mr. V! “The more humor links provided for the brain, the better chance there will be for receiving information.” --Mary Kay Morrison (Using Humor to Maximize Learning, 2008, pg.51) A great book to validate your method of teaching!

Posted 10:03 AM, 08.31.09 | Permalink