Copyright Chicago Tribune
Back when Brian Frangella was a night sports reporter and editor for Star Newspapers in the south suburbs, he had time earlier in the day, and began a side job substitute teaching. That ended up being his true calling. He went back to school, obtained his teaching degree and now he’s been a popular English teacher at Oak Lawn Community High School for 23 years. Now, those efforts have earned him the 2025 University of Chicago Outstanding Educator award. Karla Romero, one of his former students and now a U of C freshman, nominated him as a way to thank him for all he taught her. “From “Macbeth” freshman year to writing college application essays senior year, your way of teaching, along with your enthusiasm for the subject, has caused me to value and enjoy writing thought-provoking essays and reading Shakespeare, something I thought would never be possible,” Romero wrote in her nomination. “Thank you for having an impact on me in and out of class and allowing me to get into my dream university.” It turns out Shakespeare hadn’t been Frangella’s favorite author, either, until he came to appreciate the Bard more by teaching his work. That appreciation has been crucial to sparking student interest in literature. “One thing that really surprised me was that in high school, I didn’t really understand or enjoy reading William Shakespeare, but now I really find a love for the language and the idea that his themes can still be applied today because they are so focused on the human condition,” Frangella said. “That was probably one of the things I was reading out of context completely. I was just sort of reading what was going on or what the characters were doing.” He’s learned to ignite student interest in the process. “I try to help them understand what’s going on in the world, so they understand why characters are acting like they do or might make a statement they do,” he said. He also writes sports news releases for the school and announces all football and basketball games, sometimes using sports as a way to bridge the gap with students not into English. “When it works, it’s a way to make a connection with them, when they’re not willing to talk about their feelings or what they’re reading,” said Frangella. “When we talk about sports, we have a different sort of relationship and they’re more willing to participate. Plus he tries to create a relaxed atmosphere and make learning enjoyable. “I think by just genuinely enjoying what I’m doing and what we’re learning,” said Frangella. “I try to make English class fun and not like where they dread it.” Those are some of the teaching qualities that have made the class valuable to Olivia Lara, one of his students in Advanced Placement Language and Composition, who was also in his English 1 Honors class. Olivia said Frangella teaches writing style one day but then comes back the next to review it. He provides examples of professional writing and speeches and helped her shorten the length of essays to give them more impact. He also allows students to talk about books in a group. “Mr. Frangella tends to be more relaxed, but in a good way where he comes across as approachable. “He definitely pushed my love for English more, just kind of being there as a teacher and his way of teaching where he would allow us to discuss (books),” she said. Her progress has been remarkable, according to Frangella, who said she was already “thoughtful beyond her years” as a freshman. “Now as a junior, the sky is the limit for her,” he said. “An accomplished, sophisticated writer, she constantly pushes herself to improve every day. I can’t wait to see what she achieves.” Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
