Conversation with... The “senior” member of the DLS Faculty, Mike Szatkowski, ’73, left his Social Studies classroom two years ago, in the Fall of 2011, to take on a new role: Academic Support Coordinator.
I have been also blessed to work with great coaches, including our present staff - Paul Verska and Mike Lewis. Some great coaches who are really fine men who have in mind the best interests and development of the students. These coaches have had great personal qualities, and are great role models. They are very inspirational to me.
A DLS faculty member since 1977, Mike also continues to coach varsity football. Why did you decide to go into teaching?
The word “men” is a Mike Szatkowski “trademark.” Alumni associate that word with you. Have you consciously used the word in teaching, and with your students?
In high school, I had some really great experiences, and was blessed with some really fine teachers and coaches. Early in my college years, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher. A lot of credit goes to the men who were my teachers and coaches: the late Tony DeSantis, Rich Dobrzynski, Evo Alberti, Al Baumgart who coached football, and Paul Poledink who was one of my English teachers. 6
What were the characteristics of those men that left such an impression? That’s a tough question. They did push us intellectually, and they pushed us physically on the field. Tony, Doby, and Evo were dedicated teachers. It was exciting to be in a class with them. They were fun to be around, and they obviously loved what they were doing. I enjoyed being in their classrooms; I just enjoyed school. Al Baumgart’s first year as head coach of football was my freshman year. There’s no doubt I’ve become a coach because of so many of the experiences I had under Al and his assistants. They made us better than we thought we could be. They brought the best out of an average group of players. Coaching is a rewarding experience. I see kids achieve so much more than they thought they could.
A lot of alumni would describe you the same way – as someone who was very enthusiastic in the classroom. That’s nice to hear. One of the important qualities of a teacher is enthusiasm, and you have to have a certain level of energy to teach. You’ve also coached throughout your career. Has that made a difference in your teaching? My coaching experiences made me a better classroom teacher. As a coach, you’re presenting something on the field. You have to break it down into its parts. Coaching requires a certain kind of patience, and that does help out in the classroom. You see another side to the kids. And I also believe being a teacher also made me a better coach. Do you love coaching football? I do. Coaching has been an important part of my life, and I’ve worked with some great players and teams over the years. What you remember are those guys who were on the team who maybe didn’t play at all or played very little, but made contributions. They were great to be around at practice, and they brought a great attitude.
I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. Men? I never thought referring to my students as “men” as the least bit unusual. I don’t know if I started a class by saying “men” all through my career, or even if I did it at the end. It’s what we’re all about. “Builders of Boys, Makers of Men.” Students will remember and recount to me or any teacher in the building, the most bizarre stories of things that happened in the room, and these stories have nothing to do with the Greeks or Romans, or the content of your classes. Yet, they are impactful things to students. Is it the same for you, remembering more about the teachers you had in high school than the content? It’s remarkable to me how much of the content that is conveyed in the classroom is lost. You recall the character of the teachers. The energy. The atmosphere. I’ve forgotten a lot from high school. I forgot most of the math that Tony D. and Doby taught me, and most of the French I learned from Evo Alberti. In my present role, however, I am quickly relearning French and Math. It’s still there.
