Student Quotes
"Some of my favorite things about NYC history are the passionate way the subject is taught, the hands-on class trips that we get to experience and most of all, the wonderful and well-versed teacher that teaches the history. A memorable trip that comes to mind is the wonderful Harlem history trip, As a class we took an entire walking tour and learned about the deep history of this neighborhood even stopping to partake in local food and authentic African markets!"
-AnneGail Moreland, Period 10
2016
"I've always liked New York City and its history, architecture, and culture. This was on a really surface level though (like wow that's a pretty skyscraper or ooh I love how diverse the city is, etc). I really enjoyed NYC History from the first day, really, because I remember we talked about food, amusement parks, and cool quotes about NYC (and these three things I love). I love how we got a nice understanding of the city's history from the 1600s to the present through a variety of ways, from powerpoints to trips to speakers to presentations. It's never easy to be in a class that's your last class of the day and also your first class after lunch, but Mr. Sandler made it all worth, even if he did make fun of Yuppies about 98% of the time. I went on three trips: Lower East Side, City Hall, and Green-wood. Even with all the walking we had to do, it was great trying different foods like dim sum and fancy doughnuts and Katz's sandwiches. I also felt like I visually was able to learn so much in a way that a PowerPoint wouldn't do the lesson justice. I can go on forever but I just want to leave it on the note that I am very happy I took this class, made good friends because of it, and really had long thoughts about whether Robert Moses was an unconcerned villain or a misunderstood public servant. 10/10 would take again."
-Diana Shishkina, Period 9
2016
"You think you know this city. You think because you’ve spent the last 18 years walking down 5th Ave, the last seven learning how to commute daily on the subway, the last four years walking down Chambers Street that you can call yourself a New Yorker. You then step into Mr. Sandler’s NYC History lesson and you learn that you don’t know what a New Yorker is. You then want to step into more and more of those lectures and try to understand how the biggest city in your life is going to appear so much bigger. You start to learn about the people who built this city: Hamilton, the Founding Father and framer of Manhattan’s future economic triumphs; Clinton, the Erie Canal mastermind; “Little Flower” LaGuardia, the mayor that sent the city into new heights in the midst of the Great Depression; “Limousine Liberal” Lindsay blamed for sending New York into a tailspin and “How’m I Doing” Koch given credit for lifting us back up. You learn about Robert Moses, the Zeus turned Hades of urban planning, and Jane Jacobs, the preservationists Hercules, and without neither we wouldn’t have the city we have today. You’ll even go on fabulous walking trips of neighborhoods like the Lower East Side and learn why you should praise the 1811 Commissioner's Plan for the city navigability, why you should pay attention to the city’s past with relics like the Essex Street Market, why you should care about the city’s future, yuppie doughnut places and all. You’ll learn that you need a teacher as vibrant, eclectic, and passionate as the city he’s getting his students to appreciate more and more of, and you’ll learn Mr. Sandler has more than answers."
-Justin Pacquing, Period 9
2016
"I had been looking forward to taking this course since freshman year, when one of my Big Sibs told me that before I graduated, I NEEDED to take one of Mr. Sandler's classes. It far surpassed my expectations. Just like New York City, there was never a dull moment. Mr. Sandler's enthusiasm and passion is infectious--I was never once bored in class. At the beginning of the term, we talked about what makes New York City so special, what sets it apart from every other city. Throughout the course, we saw firsthand what makes that true. The trip to the Lower East Side was amazing--seeing the old Jewish synagogues next to the small Chinese stores next to the prime examples of gentrification, glass luxury condos, was such an interesting experience. Mr. Sandler does a great job of showing all sides of New York, past, present, and future. I was in SoHo today with some friends, and I couldn't stop telling them facts about the neighborhood, like the cast-iron building or Robert Moses's plan for LoMex. I felt like a tour guide! NYC History has deepened my understanding of and appreciation for the city I live in. My Big Sib was right--I NEEDED to take this class, and I'm so glad I did."
-Annabelle Gary, Period 9
2016
"I’ve had Mr. Sandler for two years, which I will always be thankful for. Starting with AP U.S. History, I continued with his elective Jewish History until I finished the year with this course. I can finally say that I truly enjoy history classes, because Mr. Sandler’s nothing less than a ferocious lecturer, spewing out stories and facts so quickly you have no choice but to take them in. I will forever be in love with the debates on Israel and Robert Moses, about how Jews helped shaped New York City. As JFK once said, “Most cities are nouns; New York’s a verb” and so is Mr. Sandler. Walking along the Brooklyn Bridge at break-neck speeds, he joked about how DUMBO was named by the artists to keep the yuppies out. Yelling out at us, “Did it work?” we all cheered back a long resounding no. After taking this class, I’ve come to realize that when we leave we’ll all take a piece of this verb with us, along with a deeper understanding and acknowledgement of the history within NYC that has built up within ourselves.
-Nassima Boukhalfa, Period 9
2016