Murphy goes to national competition

By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin

Stanley Murphy dons a white paper wig, steps to the head of the class and addresses the audience. His history class has gone back in time to the late 1700s and is serving as a congressional investigating committee discussing "Thomas Jefferson vs. Alexander Hamilton: Which man has the best policies for the nation?"

"Ladies and gentlemen," he begins solemnly, "We are gathered today to consider some very important issues..."

Dressed in overalls for her role as a small farmer from Georgia, student Lynelle Moore heads to the podium and makes an impassioned pro-Jefferson speech over the rights of farmers versus the rights of the rich and powerful. Other students follow with three-minute speeches portraying the viewpoints of a Virginia state banker who says national debt is good for the country and a Georgia moonshiner who explains how unfair taxation resulted in the "Whiskey Rebellion."

"As you can see, many of the issues that were important back then are important today," summarizes Murphy at the end of the exercise. There is still a great deal of controversy over states' rights versus central government mandates, as well as over taxation, national debt and deficit spending. The anti-immigrant attitudes expressed in the Alien and Sedition Acts have an impact on current issues, such as whether the Constitution should be amended to allow a foreign-born citizen like Arnold Schwarzenegger to be president.

"I've never liked history before, but now I'm really enjoying it," says Moore after class. "Mr. Murphy makes history fun. He makes it come alive for us."

That ability to get his students excited about his subject is what earned Murphy the nod to represent California in the National Teacher of the Year competition. He is one of five CTA members honored with the title of 2005 Teacher of the Year for California.

"It's a great honor, and it means a great deal to me," says Murphy, a member of the San Diego Education Association.

A teacher for 34 years, Murphy has spent 28 of them at San Diego High School.

One of eight siblings raised in the same urban neighborhood where he now teaches, Murphy says that he relates to his students because he sees a younger version of himself in their seats.

"Most of them are low-income, but I have high expectations for them," he says. "I try to instill in them a sense of confidence and tell them that I believe they are capable of accomplishing any goal they want. I tell them that they can go to any college in America. It's all a matter of working hard.

"What we do in class is important." He makes sure his students know that no matter how they conduct their lives and no matter what role they play, they are important to society "because they are part of a democracy."

His classroom serves as a history museum of sorts. Newspapers on the wall announce momentous events in blaring headlines: KENNEDY ASSASSINATED. WALK ON THE MOON. NIXON QUITS.

He also posts the state standards and refers to them often so students know what the purpose of the day's lesson is.

"I get a great deal of joy from seeing children achieve and seeing them excited about learning," says Murphy. A former student, who was interviewed on television after running the New York Marathon, quoted Frederick Douglass, stating, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." Murphy was so thrilled, he jumped out of his seat. "I had the best feeling. My student had learned something, mastered it, applied it and was living it. I knew I was a part of that."

Murphy went into teaching after being inspired by his own teachers. "They cared a great deal," he explains. "As is always the case, some students are apt to go in different directions. I was one of those students. I was a difficult student at times. Those teachers never gave up on me. They were very caring and patient."

He remembers one teacher in particular, his sixth-grade teacher Joshua Tull. "I was removed from another class because I was having problems. Mr. Tull welcomed me into his classroom and took a different approach with me. He realized that I was an athlete, and he helped me to also be a good student. He developed lessons for me based on my desire to be a good athlete. There were competitive activities. He took students to minor league baseball games. He provided learning experiences outside of the classroom. Later, I realized how much he influenced me. He inspired me to become a teacher and also influenced how I teach."

Murphy too tries to provide ways for students to learn outside the classroom.

Murphy started the International Friendship Club in 1987, which serves as a student and teacher exchange program with three schools in Russia, Argentina and Austria. He's made many friends through the program, as have his students. "I think it offers students an opportunity to gain a different perspective on the world. Many of my students never get out of San Diego. This gives them an opportunity to learn about another culture and stay in the home of a family from that culture."

Since the club's inception, six groups from his school have gone to Russia. Last summer he took 13 students to Austria.

His students undertake fundraising activities to pay their travel expenses. "I'm a shameless fundraiser," he admits with a laugh. "I'll be up at 6 a.m. to sell bagels at school."

Murphy and his wife, Andrea, have a son and three grandchildren. In addition to playing basketball every Saturday morning for the last 20 years, he enjoys jogging, playing chess and visiting the senior center. He is a member of Toastmasters.

"I hope to generate enthusiasm about teaching. I hope to encourage people to enter the profession," he says. "In my short tenure as Teacher of the Year, I want to encourage people to consider going into this wonderful occupation."