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Teachers are Tops

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April 30, 2012

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Teachers are Tops

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Cindy Griebel, second grade teacher St. John Lutheran School, Kendallville; 30 years WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT TEACHING? My favorite aspect of teaching is, of course, the children! I love to hear their thoughts and ideas and each child’s particular view of the world and how it works. They are fun and funny, insightful and naive and always, always challenging! I want each one to be successful, and productive, and happy, and I love being a part of that. Another favorite aspect of teaching for me is being part of a fantastic staff, an awesome team.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE? It’s hard to think of just one big change in education. There have been so many! Obviously the ever increasing use of technology is a big one. The introduction of state and core standards has been a very big, and very helpful, change. The increased emphasis on assessment of students, of teachers, and of schools has also been a huge change.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE FOR PARENTS? I would encourage parents to help their children see education as a key to the future and to teach them to value and appreciate it as something that can enable and empower them to

“She always has a positive attitude, which rubs off on her students and coworkers. She lights the school up and greets all the students, staff and parents with a loving smile. Her example has helped start many young people on the right track in life. She truly walks the walk by example to all that have the privilege to know her.”

Ethan Kessler and family

• have the future that they desire.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE GOING INTO EDUCATION TODAY? Don’t go into it if you don’t love children and aren’t passionate about helping them reach their potential. There are a lot of changes taking place and will continue to take place, and that makes for a certain amount of upheaval. But if you start out by loving kids and being passionate about helping them, then you’ll find your way.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I love children’s books! I love Jan

Brett’s beautifully illustrated folk tales. I love Daniel San Souci’s “North Country Night.” I love “Time For Bed” by Mem Fox, one of my former professors.

Along with my second graders, I love “The Magic Tree House” stories starring Jack and Annie, the Junie B. Jones books, and all the Henry and Mudge stories.

Regarding adult literature, two books I read recently and enjoyed were David Beniof’s “City of Thieves” and Julia Glass’s “I See You Everywhere.” Right now I’m rereading Jan Karon’s Mitford series. I’m a bedtime reader and during busy, stressful times (like

CHAD KLINE

Cindy Griebel

the end of the school year) I often reread old favorites that are calming rather than challenging.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN RETIREMENT? Upon retiring, I’m looking forward to being more involved in church activities. I’ve promised my co-workers that I’ll drop by from time to time with goodies, and that I’ll be there to help out when they need me at school. I’ll be spending more time with my 90 year-old father who

Debra Hockley, English teacher English teacher at East Noble High School, started in 1977, retiring with 24 years of experience in the classroom WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? I always loved school growing up. It was what I was familiar with, and my family had always stressed the value of education.

I also knew that I wanted a job dealing directly with people.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? One of my favorite things is when

students get excited by ideas that have been triggered by our class discussions, our look at literature, and the activities we do. To have a student look at an issue in a new way, to take the imaginative leap, to see the relationship of literature to their own lives is very rewarding. I have also enjoyed the many wonderful students and fellow

teachers that I have worked with.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? Obviously, one of the biggest changes I have seen over the years is the use of technology in the classroom. I also have seen more diversity in our community along with more

governmental input and requirements.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? It is very important for parents to take an active interest in their child’s education, Being supportive, involved, and having high expectations along with stressing student See HOCKLEY Page 4

lives nearby, and I hope to spend more time with our daughters and son-in-law who live in other cities.

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Teaching in a Christan school where I have been able to share with children the wonderful message that God loves them has been a tremendous privilege. I feel very thankful.

Welcome Welcome to Teachers Are Tops, a new special publication of KPC Media Group.

As the school year winds down, our goal is to recognize some of the outstanding educators who have enabled our young people to achieve in many ways. Our schools have many “unsung heroes” who work creatively and tirelessly to give their students the best possible start as they journey toward adulthood and — we hope — a lifetime of learning.

The teachers in this section were nominated online at kpcnews.com. Many more names were submitted for consideration. Eventually more profiles will appear online in a Teachers Are Tops section at kpcnews.com.

We look forward to your input!

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Teachers are Tops

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Stacy is a remarkable teacher.

She is very creative and innovative. She engages her students with a wide variety of effective instructional strategies and activities. She creates almost all of the activities herself based on the standards and her students’ needs.

When you go into her classroom you see kids collaborating together, engaged in hands on activities, and thinking and working at a very high level. Each year, Stacy has several English Language learners in her class. Those students, as well as her other students, achieve at a very high level in their daily work and on assessments. Her students love her and work for her because they know she believes in them and makes learning fun. Stacy gets outstanding results from her students.

-Mark Yoder I have had the privilege to work with Stacy Blosser for 5 years.

I often take many of our new teachers into Stacy’s classroom for peer observations for it is within Stacy’s fourth grade classroom that the student enthusiasm for learning and the student confidence toward difficult tasks is visible on a daily basis. Stacy continually relates difficult learning processes to current cultural trends. Learning to write well is experienced by being on a fourth grade appropriate “American Idol” or “The Voice”.

Learning to present an argument is experienced as creating an infomercial. Stacy is so in tune to academic standards and the lives of her students that she is never out of ideas to make fourth grade concepts relevant, authentic, and exciting. Stacy has developed the professional habit of mind of reflection that leads to goal setting; this habit of mind is helping her build a strong foundation to continue to grow in her teaching. Stacy demonstrates the dynamic, always changing craft of teaching that all students need.

- Ann VanDuyne

April 30, 2012

Stacy Blosser, fourth grade teacher West Noble Elementary; 6 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? I chose education as a career because I love watching kids learn, grow, and succeed. I was a peer tutor in high schoool and helped in an elementary classroom. I knew as soon as I started working with the kids that education was the only career for me.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? My favorite part of teaching is just being able to watch the same group of students gain confidence in themselves and discover that they can ALL be successful.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? There are higher and higher expectations being placed on students and teachers at each grade level.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? When parents truly care about their child’s education, their child cares more too. The more encouraging and supportive you are as a parent, the more motivated your child will become.

Teach them from an early age that their education is important. The more time you spend reading together at home, the more successful they will be in the classroom.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? Think outside the box. When planning

HOCKLEY From Page 3

responsibility is paramount.

Raising children in an atmosphere where education is deemed valuable and spoken of in a positive way helps , too!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE

CHAD KLINE

Stacy Blosser

lessons, think about hooks that will connect with kids and get them excited about the topic. If we can find ways to make the

CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? You will never be bored! You will also constantly be challenged in a thousand different ways. Be prepared to work many, many hours outside of the scheduled work day and be ready to deal with lots of different personalities. Above all,

learning “sticky” for kids, you will see that they will remember the information much longer and, ultimately, be more successful.

you must have the desire to make the world a better place through education.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I have so many books that I love, it is almost impossible to say what my favorite is! I am currently reading “Flowers

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I love Sharon Creech and Andrew Clements books. I also love to read “Escaping the Giant Wave” and “Shiloh” with the students in my class. I love the conversations that take place and seeing the excitement in their eyes as they wonder what is going to happen next. Right now I am currently reading “Catching Fire” from the Hunger Games series.

DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT GUIDES YOU? I like the quote, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader,” by Margaret Fuller IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Each year, I love taking my class to Pioneer Day over at Stone’s Trace. It is the best day because the students get a chance to actually see what it was like to be a pioneer. They get to experience what school was like back then and see how life was different than it is today.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? I think it is important to have high expectations for teachers and students, but I wish there was a way to relieve some of the pressure that we are all feeling.

for Algernon” (for about the 10th time) along with my freshmen students.

DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT GUIDES YOU? I have a poster on my wall at school that says, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit.”

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) said that. There is a lot of truth there. Ideally, everyone should care and try to do their best!

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN RETIREMENT? I plan on reading lots of books, volunteering, traveling, and turning off my alarm clock!

©KPC Media Group Inc. • kpcnews.com

April 30, 2012

Teachers are Tops

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Jerry Disque, eighth grade math teacher Taught at Lancaster School (Northern Wells) and currently teaches at DeKalb Middle School; 35 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? Out of a desire to help others to help themselves to become independent life-long learners.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? Sharing my ability in mathematics with bewildered students.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? Technology WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? Read to your children at an early age and provide them with opportunities to explore, investigate, and test their ideas. Teach them respect and how to work hard. Engage them in intellectual pursuits and conversation.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? Develop relationships with all of your students.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I enjoy reading biographies, financial articles, and newspaper. I am currently reading the book “Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich.”

“Mr. Disque is a wonderful teacher. All three of my children had him for Algebra I. Mr. Disque made sure that they were very well prepared both for the next math class and for the ECA required by the state. All of my children enjoyed Mr. Disque and his class. The expectations were high and the help to achieve was endless.”

Natalie Goings

• DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT GUIDES YOU? “God helps those who help themselves.”

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN RETIREMENT? I plan on spending plenty of quality time with my lovely wife, children, and grandchildren. I also am looking forward to traveling around the world.

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? When a whole class rallied around a student who was recovering from

surgery.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? The rush to computers across all disciplines, which is robbing students of the attention to detail, deductive reasoning skills and the committing of knowledge to

CHAD KLINE

Jerry Disque

long-term memory. Students often ask,“Why learn it when I can use a search engine to tell me the answer?”

THANK YOU, MRS. GRIEBEL, for all your years of service!

Recycle those unwanted items into CASH! Turn those dusty knickknacks and whatnots into bright green money by having a garage sale.

1-877-791-7877 E-mail: classifieds@kpcnews.net kpcnews.com

Proudly Saluting

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Saint Joe, IN

Mrs. Griebel is everything you would want from a teacher and more.

Cindy is warm, caring, loving, and professional. My son is a better person from having her as his teacher. She will be truly missed.”

- Beth Klink, 2nd grade parent

St. John Lutheran School 301 S. Oak Street, Kendallville 260-347-2444 • www.stjohneagles.org

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April 30, 2012

Phyllis Christner, third grade teacher Topeka Elementary School; 43 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? I love working with children and seeing them grow, learn, and mature.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? Each day is interesting because you never know what is going to happen, something different happens every day. It’s a great feeling when you see children smiling because they have learned something new.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? The curriculum is much more difficult and certain skills are introduced at a lower grade level than when I started teaching.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? Spend quality time with your child, read with your child, and let them see you reading a book also. Show an interest in your child’s school work and see that their daily assignments are completed.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? Be prepared to spend lots of time outside of the classroom making lesson plans. It is a rewarding career but is also very time consuming.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? For myself I like to read biographies. I love to read books to students that make them smile and want to read more.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN RETIREMENT? I want to spend more time with my family and friends, knit and crochet for charity organizations, travel, and enjoy relaxing times.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? Children need to have more time to be children rather than always being prepared for the next test.

CHAD KLINE

Phyllis Christner

Kathy Beckman, third grade teacher Currently at St. Mary of the Assumption School, Avilla, and has taught at St. Therese School in Waynedale and at Sacred Heart School in Warsaw; 21 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? The only thing I ever wanted to do was to be a teacher. I think I started teaching when I was about five years old. I was constantly playing “school” in my basement.

I’d beg, bribe, or coerce anyone I could to be my students. I loved school, and being a teacher was my dream.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? The best part of teaching is watching the children grow throughout the year. Sometimes it is a real challenge presenting new skills in varying ways, but when a student’s eyes light up because a new concept is understood it is the best feeling.

I also love it when students that I’ve had in the past come back all grown up to tell me where they are going to college or about another big step they are about to take such as joining the military or getting engaged.

Knowing that something I said or did made an impact in their lives is a powerful thing.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? The use of technology in the classroom is the biggest change I’ve seen over the years. When I started teaching computers were just being introduced into the classrooms. Children today can go virtually anywhere in the world. There is so much information at their fingertips.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? Perhaps the most important thing I would want to tell parents is fathers should show love and respect for the mother of their children, and mothers should show love and respect to the fathers of their children. I truly believe if a child witnessed this each day many of the problems at school would disappear. I also believe a family should do at least one thing together everyday, maybe read together, play a game, take a bike ride, or do a craft. Make it a priority to read every day with your child.

Make sure they see you reading. That way

they will know you feel it is important, and it will be important to them, as well.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? If you are considering going into the field of education, you need to know that you have to work really hard. However, there are few occupations that are as rewarding. You face new challenges every day. Children come to you with different backgrounds and experiences. Meeting their needs means always searching for new ways to present ideas and new ways to practice skills they need to master. The wonderful accomplishments, stories, ideas, and experiences you get to share are well worth the effort.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? My favorite book is the Bible. Right now, I am reading “Lost Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv. I am also reading “The Lucky One” by Nicholas Sparks.

DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT GUIDES YOU? My favorite inspirational verse comes from Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Teaching is demanding and stressful at times. Knowing I have help makes the challenges less daunting.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN RETIREMENT? When I retire I hope to spoil my future grandchildren. I also hope to travel, and take up hobbies that I don’t seem to have the time to do now.

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? It would be difficult to choose just one memorable event that was meaningful for me. Some things that I hold very dear are letters from past students or their parents who are appreciative of something I’ve done for them or their child. I also love the priceless things children say. They have the best ideas, opinions, and stories.

©KPC Media Group Inc. • kpcnews.com

April 30, 2012

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Tammy Sherer, elementary school teacher J.E. Ober Elementary (one year), Butler Elementary; 25 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? I wanted to work with children, to help them experience happiness in learning.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? I love that I play so many roles in a child’s life. Being a teacher allows me to teach, counsel and be a role model, along with being a parttime nurse, mom, and grandma to my students.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? As more families are affected by unemployment, singleparent households and working at minimum wage jobs, it seems the school has become an evergrowing crucial part of the community. From church youth groups to community outreach programs, the public library, afterschool supervised tutoring and activities, we are all playing a vital role in the lives of children. It’s not just the parents raising the children, it’s a group effort for which we all must be responsible.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? I would ask all parents to make it part of their daily schedule to spend quality time with their child. The time spent reading together, taking walks, talking with your child, playing games, planning a meal, to name a few suggestions; to truly know your child, is to love your child.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE

She is a dedicated teacher.

She is the mother of a son in the armed services and and brings her patriotism to the school. She has talked to third graders on Veteran’s Day about showing this patriotism.

She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Many of our students have competed and won prizes in their annual contest because of her enthusiasm and encouragement.

- Judy Miller

SOMEONE CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? Teaching is a very demanding, yet rewarding career. You can’t set hours to it — you arrive at school early, you stay late, you take it home with you, and it often wakes you up in the middle of the night.

You do it all for the children, because you care, and you want “your kids” to grow up and be happy and productive members of society.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? I love to read nonfiction books to my first graders. Some of my favorites are about Helen Keller, Squanto and American Indian weaving. I’m currently reading a fiction book about a young girl named Clementine, written by Sara Pennypacker.

DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT GUIDES YOU? These words were

CHAD KLINE

Tammy Sherer

given to me once: “To a special teacher who taught my mind to think and my heart to care.”

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? I was with my class of first graders when our country was attacked on

9/11. My feelings went from disbelief, shock, and fear, to a need to protect my children. It was hard to focus on teaching for the rest of the day.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? Rather than

spending so many tax dollars on ever-changing standardized tests, I would put some of that money towards helping to meet the needs of the students. Such areas might include funding full-time elementary guidance counselors and reading specialists.

“Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.”

— Aristotle “The great teachers fill you up with hope and shower you with a thousand reasons to embrace all aspects of life.”

— Pat Conroy

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April 30, 2012

Rebecca Young, special education teacher Carlin Park Elementary, Lakeland High School, Parkside Elementary, and Wolcott Mills Elementary; 36 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? I grew up with 28 cousins. I was always the babysitter for the younger ones. I have always loved to be around children. Their joy of life and learning is infectious.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? The biggest change that I have witnessed is the waning respect for teachers. When I began my teaching career, most everyone was respectful and reverent towards teachers.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? My message to parents is simple. From infancy on, read to your child. Hold them, sit beside them with your arm around them and read, talk about the pictures, and what you think will happen next in the story.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO IN RETIREMENT? First and foremost I plan to spend time with my family. I have seven grandchildren who live in the Muncie and Noblesville area.

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT

THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? I had a physically and cognitively disabled six year old girl who had never spoke a word. She would only coo or cry. One day I put her on my lap to swing and suddenly I heard this little voice say, “I’m gonna go home and tell my mom.” Needless to say I about fell off of the swing. She never stopped talking after that.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would not put so much emphasis on a yearly group achievement test. The ISTEP test should be used only to inform the teacher about the skills a student has mastered and retained over time. The deficits shown should drive the education of that child. The results should not be used to drive pay or to jump to conclusions about a school or an educator. There are too many variables that affect a child’s performance. We deal with humans, not raw materials. I don’t know of an educator that isn’t happy when they see a student grow and flourish.

CHAD KLINE

Rebecca Young

“The world of literature has everything in it, and it refuses to leave anything out. I have read like a man on fire my whole life because the genius of English teachers touched me with the dazzling beauty of language. Because of them I rode with Don Quixote and danced with Anna Karenina at a ball in St. Petersburg and lassoed a steer in ‘Lonesome Dove’ and had nightmares about slavery in ‘Beloved’ and walked the streets of Dublin in ‘Ulysses’ and made up a hundred stories in the Arabian nights and saw my mother killed by a baseball in ‘A Prayer for Owen Meany.’ I’ve been in ten thousand cities and have introduced myself to a hundred thousand strangers in my exuberant reading career, all because I listened to my fabulous English teachers and soaked up every single thing those magnificent men and women had to give. I cherish and praise them and thank them for finding me when I was a boy and presenting me with the precious gift of the English language.”

— Pat Conroy “They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even when you don’t know it.”

— Nicholas Sparks, “Dear John”

©KPC Media Group Inc. • kpcnews.com

April 30, 2012

Teachers are Tops

AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS! Congratulations to all “Teachers Are Tops” nominees!

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Stephanie Ortmann

Stephanie Ortmann, middle school teacher The Howe School, 7 years WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? My favorite aspect of teaching is having the opportunity, time and time again, to see the “light bulb” come on and a student’s face light up when they finally get it.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? The tremendous influx of technology integration.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? Be involved in your child’s education. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, we are always willing to help.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I’m currently reading: “Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT GUIDES YOU? “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? There is a lesson I taught in 5th grade science that I will never forget.

During my second year teaching I decided to take my class to the gym so they could use a roll of toilet paper to demonstrate the distance between planets in our solar system. Of course, I used single-ply, costsaving toilet paper, which was not good plan. As the groups stretched out their rolls and began marking the planet locations, the toilet paper started tearing.

We mended what we could with tape, however, the worst came when the overhead blower kicked on and our solar systems went flying everywhere. I have never heard so much laughter from that many ten-year-olds in my life!

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? Smaller class sizes for more individualized instruction.

P H O N E

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I N T E R N E T

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T E L E V I S I O N

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April 30, 2012

Shari Schippers, English teacher East Noble High School, Bardstown, Ky., schools, currently at Prairie Heights High School; 26 years WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EDUCATION AS A CAREER? I just love being with people. like to talk. I like to discuss ideas. I had some teachers who profoundly influenced me. I lost my dad when I was 8 years old. Several teachers encouraged me to write about it.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF TEACHING? Discussing big ideas. Discussing, “How does this apply to me? How does this apply to the world?” I enjoy discussing with students the impact big ideas have on us.

WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS? Governmental intervention. That is a negative thing, I think. We are forced into a lock step. It really bothers me. We interrupt education for testing.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS? Love your kids. Get involved with their life. Ask them questions. Be present in their life.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING EDUCATION AS A CAREER? Have a passion for it. Never lose your passion. Be flexible. We are in a transition.

Hang in there. As long as education is tied to politics, we will be adjusting to every new regime, and it is difficult.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? Some of my favorites are ones that I teach: “Brave New World,” anything by Anna Quindlen, Toni Morrison, “The Bluest Eye.” The last page is just amazing.

DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE OR INSPIRATIONAL PASSAGE THAT

GUIDES YOU? “Do what you can with what you have where you are.”

IS THERE ONE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM MEMORY/EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Mostly things that make you laugh; I remember Brad Miller (at East Noble). I am 5 feet tall. I said, “Brad, could you just bend down?” He got down on his knees, and we were eye to eye, and he read his composition to me.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT EDUCATION TODAY WHAT WOULD IT BE? Get rid of the emphasis on testing. Return to the emphasis on individuality and individual ways of learning. I guess I am more Montessori in my approach.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Shari Schippers

WIN PRIZES! Visit all 5 neighborhoods to enter drawing .

“I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.” — Alexander the Great “Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.” — Chinese Proverb

AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING FAIR FOR KIDS & THEIR FAMILIES

Saturday, August 4, 2012 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. • Noble County Fairgrounds Tots - Middle School

VISIT ALL 5 NEIGHBORHOODS: Health & Fitness Communication & Literacy Science & Environment Community Civic Arts & Culture Free • Fun • Prizes • Concessions Available Co-Sponsored by:

E-mail: kidcity@kpcnews.net

“The effects you will have on your students are infinite and currently unknown; you will possibly shape the way they proceed in their careers, the way they will vote, the way they will behave as partners and spouses, the way they will raise their kids.”

— Donna Quesada, “The Buddha in the Classroom: Zen Wisdom to Inspire Teachers” “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” — Albert Einstein “The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.” — Dan Rather “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.” — Carl Jung

©KPC Media Group Inc. • kpcnews.com

April 30, 2012

Teachers are Tops

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Don’t MISS ANOTHER DEAL! KPC

Deals

SIGN UP TODAY at kpcnews.com to receive KPC Deals in your email.

You’ll be one of the first to know about the newest deal.

Offering EXCLUSIVE savings from this area’s top merchants!

kpcnews.com ;IWX 2SFPI &SEVH SJ )HYGEXMSR ERH EHQMRMWXVEXMSR [SYPH PMOI XS VIGSKRM^I EPP XLI ;IWX 2SFPI WXEJJ JSV XLIMV HIHMGEXMSR ERH XS XLERO XLI WXEJJ JSV XLIMV WIVZMGI XS ;IWX 2SFPI WXYHIRXW West Noble School Corporation • 550 N. US Hwy. 33, Ligonier, IN 260-894-3191 • 260-488-3191 • http://westnoble.K12.in.us

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Teachers are Tops

kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

April 30, 2012

Have Fun, Stay Fit and Support Newspaper in Education With significant support from the KPC Sprint Triathlon fundraising, the KPC Media NIE program distributed over 439,000 newspapers to students in the 4-county area in 2011!

KPC SPRINT DISTANCE

Newspaper in Education

TRIATHLON

Early registration discounts!

SPECIAL AWARDS FOR TEACHERS!

2012

Saturday, July 14 BIXLER LAKE PARK, KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA The beautiful shorter-distance course includes a competitive bike ride and a run through the Mid-America Windmill Museum.

This event is perfect for both experienced triathletes and those new to the sport! Teams are permitted!

Register now at

2-) 2I[WTETIV -R )HYGEXMSR

Proceeds will help fund the KPC Newspaper In Education program for schools in Noble, Steuben, LaGrange and DeKalb counties.

kpctriathlon.com COSPONSORS: THE CITY OF

2LUKHSS]PSSL

To learn more about Newspaper in Education, visit “Why NIE” at kpctriathlon.com or contact Crystal at 260-347-0400 Ext. 109, crystals@kpcnews.net