Newspaper article that I wrote for the NCC Voice.

"Life is like a book, each day is a new page."By NADIRA PANKEY




Steve Cohen comes from humble origins, working as a teachers assistant after living off of scholarships until graduate school. Cohen continued to work on his doctorate through the fall of 1982. He finished his coursework, including 15 credits in the teaching of writing (technically known as English Instruction), which he chose to take in addition to his required coursework. He passed his five major field exams and went on to begin researching and writing his dissertation proposal-he was interested in exploring Peer Tutor Training



During 1979-81, Cohen continued as a Teaching Assistant-this still allowed his graduate school tuition to be waived, and he also taught for the SUNY Buffalo evening division and the for the SUNY Fredonia State College summer session. He began working part-time, teaching reading, at D’Youville College in Buffalo, NY in the spring of 1981, and he moved to a full-time position as the College Reading Specialist in the fall of 1981. He married his first wife in August 1982.



He worked at ECSU in the grant program for years, his sons Seth and Noah were born in 1984 and 1988, respectively. The second sons’ birth made him more conscious of his financial security, so he decided to find a permanent job when his second son was in utero. In summer 1988, he was hired as an instructor of Developmental English/Reading at Norwalk Community College at the old Wilson Avenue campus. Cohen’s third son, Alon, was born in 1990. Cohen commuted from his home in Hebron, CT to NCC (83 miles each way, 95 minutes per one-way trip) until he and his wife separated in 1994. He lived in NYC back in the Bronx from 1994-96, and he moved to Norwalk in 1996. Between Cohen’s jobs, his kids, and finally his commute to NCC, he never finished his Ph.D. dissertation, so he never became Dr. Cohen.



During his years at NCC, Cohen was promoted to Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, received tenure, was awarded a sabbatical leave, and served on various college committees.He has been faculty advisor to the NCC Gaming Club for over ten years. For seven years, he was elected to serve as the local chapter chair of the union representing the majority of faculty, counselors, librarians and administrators, the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges (the 4C’s), and in 2007, he was elected state-wide 4C’s president. Cohen has a unique way of meeting his students at their level, and building them up to his level. He ask that his students address him as “Steve,” instead of Professor Cohen.



Cohen teaches his students how to read with comprehension. His skills help his students succeed in college-level classes. “Steve taught me how to read between the lines. He taught me how to think about and understand what I am reading. I remember we read a story called, Flowers for Algernon, and there was a doctor named, Dr. Quack. That was the author’s way of making fun of the doctor by naming him, Dr. Quack. Steve pointed that minor detail out to me. So Steve taught me little things like that to look out for. I would’ve never thought of that before his class,” said Valerie Boucard, former student. “One, I love helping others. I remember going to the grocery store with my mom on Friday afternoons when I was in morning (only) kindergarten. As she checked out, I’d stand at the front door and open it to let shoppers out with their carts and delivery men in with their hand trucks. (Those were the days before automatic opening doors,) said Cohen.



“Two, I loved school when I was a kid. Put these two together, and I guess it was natural for me to become a teacher,” said Cohen. Because of Cohen’s passion for teaching, passion for his students, and passion for life, many students like Boucard are on the road to success.