{"id":10384,"date":"2018-09-23T21:17:40","date_gmt":"2018-09-24T01:17:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/news\/?p=10384"},"modified":"2018-10-02T09:51:06","modified_gmt":"2018-10-02T13:51:06","slug":"six-decades-of-math-and-chalkdust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/news\/?p=10384","title":{"rendered":"Six Decades of Math and Chalkdust"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Six decades ago Louis Kokonis began his career as a teacher with ACPS. Now, at 86 years of age, more than twice the age of his fellow teachers, he\u2019s still going strong with no plan to retire anytime soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Kokonis started teaching, The Champ\u2019s \u201cTequila,\u201d Domenico Modugno’s \u201cVolare,\u201d and Sheb Wooley\u2019s \u201cThe Purple People Eater\u201d topped the music charts. He recalls the early days: boys with crew cuts and girls whose skirts had to hit below their knees. Kids flocked to the Hot Shoppes on North Washington Street for burgers and fountain drinks, hung out at the roller rink on Madison and N. St. Asaph, or spent evenings at Tops Drive-In maybe sitting in a winged, turquoise Ford Fairlane.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our email\u00a0inboxes were flooded by former students and coworkers this past week wanting to share their stories of \u201cKoko.\u201d Some were physicists, engineers, doctors and professors. All wrote to say what an inspiration their soft-spoken teacher in the chalk-covered suit was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Louis<\/p>\n

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A cone is only one-third of a cylinder with the same diameter and height.’ Mr. Kokonis brought the lesson home. Describing the soda counter beverages often served at a malt shop in a conical cup and metal base, Kokonis would say, ‘Not only do you get one-third as much soda than you would with a cylindrical glass, but then they fill it with ice as well.’\u201d – John Tate (\u201963) recalling one of Kokonis’ lessons on the volume of a cone.\"Louis<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Mickey Moore, former ACPS teacher, principal and colleague of Kokonis\u2019 remembers standing with Kokonis on the balcony of T.C. Williams in 1971. It was the first teachers’ meeting of the city\u2019s three integrated high schools. The teachers stood awkwardly in different groups, self-divided according to the schools they came from. Moore and Kokonis were both coming from Hammond to T.C. It was obvious the transition was tough not only for the students but the teachers as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hammond kids didn\u2019t want to go to T.C. George Washington kids didn\u2019t want to go to T.C. \u2026 and T.C. kids didn\u2019t want either one there. The teachers seemed to feel the same. We thought integrating the school would never work. It took a while, but eventually it <\/span>did<\/i><\/b> work,\u201d Moore said.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although Kokonis was not the typical teacher, his love for math was contagious. He overlooked the boisterous behavior of teenagers and commanded his classroom with such a quiet demeanor and quiet voice that he earned the class\u2019 respect. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Kokonis was no stranger at school events. Former T.C. Williams principal John Porter said, \u201cI will never forget Lou volunteering to chaperone just about every dance we had at T.C. with the one caveat \u2014\u00a0that he\u2019d have door duty where, for most of the evening, he could grade papers \u2014 which he did religiously.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Teaching math requires a continuous flow of theorems, proofs, equations, and solutions appearing in front of the students as the teacher explains and expounds on method and meaning. Mr. Kokonis was expert at the process, and with chalk flying across the board as he taught, Louie created a white dust cloud in the air greater than any three other Hammond teachers ever produced.\u201d – Dr. D. Cragin Shelton (\u201967), a chemistry major.\u00a0\"A<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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He loved to check to see if people were paying attention with a quick turn and just a random recollection of names in the class to call on. He was quick to celebrate if you clearly knew what was going on, and would move on and repeat what he was going over if a wrong answer was given,\u201d – Blake Alberger (\u201905), who remembers his teacher\u2019s wild white hair and his sharp eye. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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By the first nine weeks, it was clear who was in charge. We strained in our seats to hear his quiet words. No one misbehaved. \u2026 he listened to our question because he believed our clear understanding of mathematics might change the world,\u201d – Mary Ames (\u201965), who still calls him Mr. Kokonis.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Maybe you should rethink that one,\u201d – Cindy Anderson (\u201980) recalls him saying before he\u2019d accept the papers she was trying to hand in.<\/span><\/p>\n

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I remember your kindness, your <\/span>unending<\/span> patience with each of us. You were just as calm and hopeful in the third explanation as in the first. \u2026 Your kind hope for me to understand showed on your face as you explained one-on-one to me.\u201d – Andy Meng Whitehouse\u00a0\"Students<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Students now know\u00a0<\/span>him for his love for spaghetti, Irish\/Scottish music, movies with happy endings, and his driving a supply truck in the Army while stationed in Germany. They know he doesn\u2019t have a sweet tooth and can bump into him at Planet Fitness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Superintendent<\/p>\n

It was in his Algebra 2 class that I realized how much I love math and that I wanted to become a high school math teacher. He was there everyday after school until six, like he always is. If I ever needed a place to work his door was always open. He\u2019s not afraid to ask for help from his students and not afraid to make mistakes,\u201d – Elon University freshman Anne Williams (\u201918), who is pursuing a double major in math and teaching and who credits the three years she had Kokonis for her car<\/span>eer track. \u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kokonis\u00a0credits his longevity to his love for teaching and his students. As for retirement? Kokonis says he\u2019s not thinking that far ahead. \u201cI still enjoy teaching and unless something happens, I\u2019m going to try and keep teaching.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lou, you\u2019ve made us all proud. You\u2019ve proved that old teachers don\u2019t die,” said Mickey Moore. “They just teach, and teach, and teach.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here\u2019s to another decade, Mr. Kokonis!<\/span><\/p>\n