For these ISKL donors, who wish to remain anonymous, it was in many ways, Ann Whiting who made their son’s transition to a new school in a foreign country successful. With limited English, their son felt lost and unhappy at his new school; it was his time each day with Ms. Whiting that really kept him going.
“He was just fascinated by her, as she would talk to her students with a Greek mythology vocabulary (which he always loved).” said his Mother. “If one had forgotten his pencil case, Ms. Whiting would say, ‘Run – run – run with the speed of Hermes’ or, ‘
Do your homework or I will free Cerberus from my desk cabinet!'”
Each evening, the family would gather to recall what “crazy” thing Ms. Whiting had said that day. Those crazy things became that which sparked interest and joy in this young new Middle School student and ultimately helped him assimilate into a new school and a new culture. A remarkable and passionate teacher, she will never be forgotten by this family, who remain in the ISKL community and attribute the heart and skill of Ann Whiting for much of their son’s success.
“She truly cared about her students. In those difficult months for our son, she invited me in to ask how she could help him be more comfortable,” noted the Mother. “In some ways, she came the closest to giving our children a classical education based in Greek and Latin with her emphasis on word study.”
When considering a gift to support the “We Build People” campaign for Ampang Hilir, this young man’s father noted, “Getting a new campus is great, but the teachers are what makes ISKL such a wonderful place, especially those who stay with ISKL for a long time. Ms. Whiting was one of those teachers who recently retired after a long tenure and made a very positive contribution to our children’s experience at ISKL; we are pleased to contribute to the campaign and honor someone who has meant so much to us.”
