One for the History Books: Mr. Resnick to Retire at Year's End

Mr. Resnick, his students, and Ms. Digianni hold up issues of Forum, a student magazine run by the social studies department.

By JEREMY CHAN

Generations of Midwood students have walked into Mr. Eugene Resnick’s classroom expecting history lessons and leaving with much more than just memorized facts. As the longtime teacher prepares to retire, students and colleagues say his humor and passion for history will not be forgotten.

Between historical discussions and unexpected jokes, students said there was rarely a dull moment in Mr. Resnick’s classroom.

“Mr. Resnick is one of the best and funniest teachers I’ve ever had,” said Isiah Diaz ‘27. “His class was always enjoyable and it was fun learning from him.”

Others remembered the unpredictability that made his classes so entertaining. “Mr. Resnick is what you get when you mix the era of good feelings with a guy who looks like Abraham Lincoln,” said Zachary Kiselkev ‘27. “You don’t know what he's going to say or when he's going to say it, but you know at some point you’ll have to hold back a chuckle.”

Even students who weren’t especially interested in history said Mr. Resnick made the subject more engaging. “Although I've never been fond of history, Mr. Resnick makes things so much more bearable,” said Billy Zheng ‘27.

Mr. Resnick began his teaching career in 1993, spending a year at James Madison High School before moving to Midwood. Although he’s taught several courses throughout the years, he’s spent most of his time teaching U.S. history.

His interest in social studies first began at an early age, being heavily influenced by his father, who was a labor and political activist. “He encouraged me to be interested in the world around me and how we got here,” Mr. Resnick said.

He studied history and the environment at the University of Vermont before earning his master’s degree at Brooklyn College. His passion for history came from wanting to better understand society and how change happens over time.

To Mr. Resnick, history is never simply about memorizing dates and facts. Instead, he wants students to think critically about the world around them and understand how regular citizens can influence society. “Ordinary people are not pawns, they’re active agents in history,” he said.

His teaching style focuses heavily on discussion and encouraging students to ask deeper questions about historical events and documents. “Not just answering questions but asking questions is important,” Mr. Resnick said. “What document is missing from this discussion? What would make our understanding more complete?”

Throughout his career, Mr. Resnick said he constantly adopted new approaches and lessons to better connect with students. “We’re always learning, always changing,” he said.

Students said that the ability to create meaningful discussions made his classrooms stand out. “Mr. Resnick is a great mentor who makes you retain the most important information, as well as what’s niche,” Renzi Bhagwandeen ‘27 said.

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Resnick said some of his favorite moments came from watching students engage in debates. “I like those types of interactions in the classroom,” he said. “I’ll miss that a lot.”

He added that he will especially miss working with students on Midwood’s Mock Trial Team, which he described as one of the most rewarding parts of his career.

Although he won’t miss the pressure of grading papers and preparing lessons every day, teaching is a profession he never regretted choosing. “It’s a really rewarding job,” he said. “I can’t think of anything else I would rather do.”

His impact extended beyond students. Ms. Laurel Digianni, who has worked alongside Mr. Resnick for eight years, said he was one of the first people she met at Midwood and someone she deeply admired.

“He is so passionate. He’s funny. He knows his subject matter so well that he even wrote a textbook,” she said.

After more than three decades at Midwood, students and staff said Mr. Resnick leaves behind a legacy defined by humor, dedication, and thoughtful teaching that encouraged students to see history differently.

“Part of me selfishly wants him to always be here,” Ms. Digianni said, “but I’m really happy that he’s going to enjoy what comes next.”