For me, a teacher that has definitely had a positive impact on my life in the highschool would have to be Mrs.Pincus. For 25 years, Hauppauge High School has been home to our resident theater teacher, Mrs. Pincus. Educated at Michigan State and Stonybrook University, Mrs. Pincus teaches the entirety of the theater program at the high school. She also supervises the drama club and all its activities, such as Stage the Change, of which she is a founder. Even in the short amount of time I’ve had her as a club advisor, Mrs.Pincus has never failed to make me feel comfortable and excited to get involved with our school’s theater opportunities even if I was extremely nervous and I appreciate her immensely for that.

Mrs.Pincus’s teaching method comes largely from her experience as a director, she understands the importance of giving students room for their own learning. Instead of sticking to rigid structures, she gives her students the freedom to explore and create. In her class, students learn the basics but are encouraged to take the lead in developing their own projects. Mrs. Pincus believes in nurturing creativity and individual expression, making her classroom a place where students feel empowered to experiment and grow as artists. A large part of this approach comes from the fact that all her students feel welcomed and secure in her classroom so they are able to explore theater concepts themselves. Mrs. Pincus’s classroom is a welcoming and safe space for everyone. Students feel comfortable being themselves, knowing they won’t face judgment. It’s a place where diversity is embraced, making learning more enjoyable and inclusive for all.

Like many of her students, Mrs.Pincus cites theater as an extremely important part of her life. It is because of her experience originally as a director, hired to oversee a show of students,  that she eventually was offered to become a teacher in the first place. The many musicals and plays that she has done during her time at the highschool have no doubt left a lasting impression on her. Even if Mrs.Pincus says she has a million memorable moments working as a teacher, there is no doubt that she has helped create more than a million memorable moments for those whom she has taught. For me In particular, doing my first show ever, The Good Doctor, I remember feeling so nervous about a number of things that could go wrong but Mrs.Pincus stayed beside me being thankfully patient with me on my, in her words, “maiden voyage.” Through her role as both a teacher and director, Mrs.Pincus has definitely left a lasting impact on the lives of everybody she has worked with in her career, and for that, I, and countless others, are extremely grateful.