MaryAnn Canzanella Picone
MaryAnn Canzanella Picone is celebrated for her deep expertise in literature, her compassionate and ethical approach to teaching, and the profound impact she’s had on generations of students.
Through her thoughtful mentorship and unwavering dedication to student well-being, MaryAnn created transformative classroom experiences and a lasting legacy within the ZIS community.
Full Bio
Of Italian origin, MaryAnn was born and raised outside of New York City, on the Long Island Sound. After attending public schools, she left for Montreal, Canada, where she obtained her B.A. and M.A. degrees in Linguistics at McGill University.
Her fascination with the relationship between language and mind led her to pursue not research, but a teaching career. She began teaching at ZIS (then AISZ) in 1992, when the school was housed in the iconic villa in Kilchberg. In her 30+ years at the school, MaryAnn taught English 7-9, English 10-12, all levels of EAL, and all AP and IB English courses. She loves working with students on all kinds of genres and texts, from Classical Greek drama to modern essays and advertisements. Collaborating closely with colleagues in her own and other departments, especially in Learning Support, has also filled her years with here with the richest of experiences.
Outside of the physical classroom, she has chaperoned memorable curriculum trips to cities within Europe and to places as far as Nepal. MaryAnn remains active at ZIS by substituting and by reading stories and poems aloud to our younger students (truly a lifelong pleasure!). She would like to thank all the alumni and parents and colleagues whom she learned from and with, and who supported her nomination for the John Mattern Award.
.
Reflective Comments from Nominators
Mrs. Canzanella was of great support last year to our daughter. She supported and encouraged learning and development—both from an academic as well as a personal perspective.
Ms. Canzanella’s love for literature turned AP Literature class from something I dreaded into something I loved. I never thought I could enjoy poetry or find the beauty in Ethan Frome, which I initially despised.
I chose Mary-Ann Canzanella because, in addition to her wholesome and sweet character, I think she provided her students with a highly trenchant understanding of how to compose a written argument. This is a skill that has served me well over the years.
