Dr. Goldstein

Catholic Classroom Vida Goldstein--known to students as Dr. G.--has a Ph.D. in Anthropology. She has been at St. Mary’s since 2002. She teaches 5th through 8th grade Science, and teaches Reading in the 5th and 6th grades. Before coming to St. Mary’s, Dr. Goldstein worked in the education departments at both Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Lincoln Park Zoo. Dr. Goldstein feels that her training in anthropology allows her to bring a unique perspective and body of information to the classroom. She has worked on archaeological investigations in many parts of the United States and in Israel. She has also conducted cultural anthropology fieldwork in the United States and in the Netherlands. Dr. Goldstein often uses examples from these experiences in her teaching.

To Dr. Goldstein, the special strengths of St. Mary’s lie in its excellent faculty and its small size. The faculty members are dedicated to teaching and encourage every child to achieve to the best of his or her ability. Because of the school’s small size, teachers get to know students well, even if they are in other classes. She especially appreciates the school's family atmosphere, which allows students to be accepting of each other’s differences, and instills cooperation.