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Interview With Eleanor Bravler
Aired October 17, 2003 - 15:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now get ready to be wowed. There's no classroom burnout for a 90-year-old teacher in Los Angeles. In fact, Eleanor Bravler may be the oldest teacher in America. A birthday bash was held in her honor at her school this week. The inspirational teacher joins us on the phone from L.A. to tell us how she does it. Hi, Eleanor.
ELEANOR BRAVLER, 90-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: Hi.
PHILLIPS: You're amazing. Now listen, I hear that you tell the students they can emulate you by keeping healthy habits. Tell me what these healthy habits are.
BRAVLER: Eating correctly food. Being healthy is emotional, physical, social, and mental. And so that's what health is all about.
PHILLIPS: I'm curious, why do you keep teaching at 90-years-old?
BRAVLER: I've been asked that about 1,000 times in the last few days. Because I love it. I -- to me, that was my destiny. I belong in the classroom. I'm delighted to be in the classroom. There are good days and bad days. Most of them are good. I love the kids. I love my school. I love the teachers. I love everything about it.
And I just have been around children, you know, ever since I've graduated college and started at the age of 20. I would go from school to summer camp. I love to be around children.
PHILLIPS: Eleanor, I got to tell you, kids have changed nowadays. We're talking body piercings, tattoos, baggy pants.
BRAVLER: I know. And I talk about it.
PHILLIPS: What do you say? How do you deal with it? How do you keep then in line?
BRAVLER: I bring in somebody. There's an area here that -- at hospital where they'll remove tattoos, but there's a gang element here. And then if they want to go out and get a job and anybody see a gang tattoo, they don't want to have a rival come in and have a gun pointed at them.
So I have somebody come in -- to me I tell them in is an opinion, because you're going to do it whether I tell you or not, but you're mutilating your body.
And with the piercing, there isn't any part of the body where they don't put a pierce.
PHILLIPS: Exactly.
BRAVLER: If it's not an earring, it goes everywhere else.
PHILLIPS: Eleanor, it seems your students love and cherish you. Happy birthday. Congratulations. We'll keep checking in with you now. How long are you going to go?
BRAVLER: To the next century. I never thought I'd reach the millennium. Maybe I'll reach the next one. Good deal, huh?
PHILLIPS: We salute you. Thanks for taking a break from class for us.
BRAVLER: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 17, 2003 - 15:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now get ready to be wowed. There's no classroom burnout for a 90-year-old teacher in Los Angeles. In fact, Eleanor Bravler may be the oldest teacher in America. A birthday bash was held in her honor at her school this week. The inspirational teacher joins us on the phone from L.A. to tell us how she does it. Hi, Eleanor.
ELEANOR BRAVLER, 90-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: Hi.
PHILLIPS: You're amazing. Now listen, I hear that you tell the students they can emulate you by keeping healthy habits. Tell me what these healthy habits are.
BRAVLER: Eating correctly food. Being healthy is emotional, physical, social, and mental. And so that's what health is all about.
PHILLIPS: I'm curious, why do you keep teaching at 90-years-old?
BRAVLER: I've been asked that about 1,000 times in the last few days. Because I love it. I -- to me, that was my destiny. I belong in the classroom. I'm delighted to be in the classroom. There are good days and bad days. Most of them are good. I love the kids. I love my school. I love the teachers. I love everything about it.
And I just have been around children, you know, ever since I've graduated college and started at the age of 20. I would go from school to summer camp. I love to be around children.
PHILLIPS: Eleanor, I got to tell you, kids have changed nowadays. We're talking body piercings, tattoos, baggy pants.
BRAVLER: I know. And I talk about it.
PHILLIPS: What do you say? How do you deal with it? How do you keep then in line?
BRAVLER: I bring in somebody. There's an area here that -- at hospital where they'll remove tattoos, but there's a gang element here. And then if they want to go out and get a job and anybody see a gang tattoo, they don't want to have a rival come in and have a gun pointed at them.
So I have somebody come in -- to me I tell them in is an opinion, because you're going to do it whether I tell you or not, but you're mutilating your body.
And with the piercing, there isn't any part of the body where they don't put a pierce.
PHILLIPS: Exactly.
BRAVLER: If it's not an earring, it goes everywhere else.
PHILLIPS: Eleanor, it seems your students love and cherish you. Happy birthday. Congratulations. We'll keep checking in with you now. How long are you going to go?
BRAVLER: To the next century. I never thought I'd reach the millennium. Maybe I'll reach the next one. Good deal, huh?
PHILLIPS: We salute you. Thanks for taking a break from class for us.
BRAVLER: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
