Are some born to be teachers? Maybe. If so, Angela was one soul blessed with the intuition, insight, and passion to teach children. Montessori education gave her the path to combine her deepest private self with her innate determination to help others. All who knew her in the Montessori community, her colleagues at the Caedmon School, parents and children are all welcome to express their life experiences with her here. Angela also worked at Brooklyn Heights Montessori, Kingsley Montessori in Boston, Head Start in Boston’s South End, and her first teaching job was at Perkins Institute for the Blind in Watertown MA.
Donations may be made to the Caedmon School in memory of Angela Morga
The Caedmon School
416 East 80th Street
New York, NY 10075
Attn: G Minahan, Director of Development
I miss Angela. Sometimes, when I think of some goal that I am going to accomplish, I feel at a loss for the lack of sharing it with her. I wish that she could have fulfilled more of her own dreams, and yet she must have done so in Divine terms as her work was done. It reminds me of the transient nature of this world, and the lasting nature of the soul.
I had a dream about you the other day, you were simply smiling at me………….You looked happy, peaceful and content. I still think about you when I think about my days at Caedmon. Thank you for always putting a smile on my face!
Though I only knew Angela a year, we were new “old” friends. Catching comments and stories from my fellow staff at Caedmon, I was inspired to write this Ode to Angela. “Ode to Angela…who possessed a gift” is my personal tribute. She had an amazing way to reach through you, whether you be an adult or a child, and hug your heart. To her dear family and friends, may you know that she will live on in our hearts, and the walls of Caedmon forever.
–Cindy
Ode to Angela By Cynthia Radtke with the Caedmon Staff
Ode to Angela
The Baroness von Morga
Stunning in her retro-dresses
Looking like Annette Benning;
Who’s laughter and sing-song voice
Greeted us around every corner.
Ode to Angela
Bouncy
Bubbly
Delicate and complicated–
First words shared
In her memory.
Ode to Angela
Committed to peace,
The Earth, and
Children–all children she met;
Striving to instill
Harmony among all.
Ode to Angela
With that signature hair!
As untamed and scattered,
Unpredictable and independent–
As her effervescent personality.
Ode to Angela
An unforgettable energy:
The embodiment of
Youthful spirit–
Who delighted in learning more?
Ode to Angela
Who possessed a gift
To see right to the heart–
Past the masks built by time,
Hugging you with the
Sound of her voice.
Ode to Angela
Who will be carried
In our hearts–
Never forgotten;
Whose spirit will echo our hallways
Long after the shadows pass.
Rest well, our dear friend,
May you finally be at
Peace.
I feel so lucky to have gotten to know Angela through teaching. She always greeted me with open arms and a warm smile. So many times we talked about getting together outside of school. I ran into her at a Starbucks near my home a month ago. I heard, “Hey beautiful girl!” and I turned around to see Angela smiling and her arms open to give me a hug. We sat and caught up for about an hour. We talked about taking special ed. classes together at Hunter and I finally put her phone number in my phone to keep in touch. It was a few weeks later that I found out about her passing. She was my friend and I feel so profoundly sad. I miss her so much, we had so much more to do together. You were so full love, such a beautiful person. I’ll miss you.
When I think of Angela, I think UNIQUE… unique in style, personality, and spirit. No matter what was going on in her life, Angela always had a smile on her face and a positive attitude. Angela and I worked together in the same classroom last year. She was my partner and my friend. I always told her she had the patience of a saint when it came to children. Angela had a special talent for relating to the more challenging kids that came along. She taught me to see that no matter how difficult teaching can be, each child is beautiful and has so much to offer. I had such a wonderful time teaching with Angela, and getting to know her a bit better every day. I will only regret that she was not able to meet my newborn son… I know she would have loved him! Angelina Ballerina, I will never forget that terrific giggle of yours… I think I will hear it in my dreams. And when I miss you, I will toast you with a little Stan Getz! Hugs & Kisses, girl!
angelina said we were sisters from different mothers. we were also co-workers and friends for 10 years. there is no one else like her. she used the city to its fullest. a writer, an artist, a chef, a teacher, a reader, a scientist, a critic, a lover of nature, a curious, loving soul. i find it so hard to believe that her flame and passion burn no longer. always in my heart, love you ang.
Ms. Morga was our son, Andrei’s first teacher. It was obvious from the start that she had a special way with rambunctious little boys who have difficulty sitting still and waiting their turns. With her warm and gentle ways she took him and many other little boys under her wing, helped them to develop some self-control and confidence and to feel that they were each important members of the group, She captivated them with her dramatically told stories, her science projects and her endless patience. I will always cherish the image of her shaking a four year-old Andrei’s hand on the porch of Caedmon at dismissal, wearing her smudged art apron and her funky shoes, her curly hair wild around her face, and looking like some beautiful creature out of a Romantic Era painting. She had such an intense presence–it’s difficult to believe that she is no longer on this Earth. We’ll miss her dearly.
I will always remember Angela. She was an amazing person. So funny and kind. We spent many moments talking to one another about everything from hair to co-workers. She will be missed by all who were blessed to have known her.
I met Angela at the Caedmon school, she was assigned to be my “Caedmon Buddy” when I was hired. She made me feel welcomed and told me how Caedmon was like family. She was right, the five years I worked at Caedmon, she always made me laugh and went out of her way to be nice to me. I will miss how we use to tease each other and joke around in the Caedmon hallways…….rest in peace……..
Here is a piece Angela wrote at Head Start c 1997/8 as a self evaluation, My strengths as a teacher. Given verbatim:
My greatest strength as a teacher lies in my sense of humour and how natural it feels to be at that level with a child. Also my readiness to work on many different levels of humour. If I were a child of pre-school or kindergarden age, I would want myself as a teacher and this would be one of those reasons.
I am first a child advocate and always felt like one, although there wasn’t always a name for it. I am here to support a child’s right to be respected emotionally and psycologically. My job is to help a child be who she really is and it is an honour for a teacher to help nurture this process. These children that I work with every day have only been alive on this earth for three, four, five, maybe six years! Everything here is still so new to them. I empathise with how it must be to sense this newness, and to be absorbing all of this information. I simply feel like a respectful “guide”.
I have a strong sense of aesthetics and want to offer these children what is useful, fun, beautiful, and what they don’t have at home. I try to stay loyal to this sense and hope my class leaves with a reservoir of exciting experiences!