Madame Zwilling Retires

Mary Zwilling has been teaching Urbana High School students French for many years. She has taught the most novice to the most advanced students UHS has to offer, who fondly call her Madame Zwilling or, more simply, Madame. But the class of 2013 will be the last get to know Madame as a teacher, since she will retire at the end of this year.

Zwilling always wanted to become a teacher, she says, shortly before recounting a story about making the neighborhood children play school in her garage when she was a young girl. She was the teacher, naturally.

After college, Zwilling became a teacher at Brookins Middle School in Urbana, before coming to UHS. She has, and continues to, teach all levels of French, one through 10. “[The] advanced levels are nice because you get to see them put it all together, but the lower levels have great enthusiasm,” she says of her variety of students.

Much has changed in the years she has been at UHS. From building renovations to principals, Zwilling has seen it all. “Teachers have more responsibilities [now]. What remains the same is the teachers caring for students,” she says.

Current students say that they will miss Madame Zwilling and that French classes will not be the same as they continue their education in the subject.

Sophomore Tessa Turner is currently enrolled in Zwilling’s French 5-6 class. ” I will miss her motherly qualities!” she says. “She has always been very tolerant and accepting of us, even though we goof off. I will miss her way of teaching, too. She always finds interesting things to show us, have us listen to, or watch.”

Zwilling’s favorite thing about her students is their character. “I like the personalities,” she says, a slight smile crossing her face.

What does she plan to do with all of the time off that she will have next year? “I don’t know. I think I’ll probably try to find something that has a purpose that serves others, probably volunteer work,” Zwilling says.