Teachers and Administrators

Teachers and Administrators Jenn, Pam, Allie, Kassandra

Meet the teachers and Administers • Mary Borrell- Works at Vista view. Works with students through the MRC (Minnesota Reading Corps) And has been teaching for 5 years. • Susan Risius- Is currently the principal at Vista View. She was a teacher for 20.5 years beforehand. • Beth Borgen- Administrator • Kelly Armstrong- Teacher at Laura Jeffrey Academy • Mrs. Swanson- Teacher • Mrs. Ruzzie- Administrator • Heather Hawkins- Teacher at Wellstone Elementary • Nancy Hendrickson- Administrator

Our Questions • What made you decide to go into the educational field? • What type of school settings have you taught in? • What is the most rewarding thing about working in an urban school? • What is the most challenging thing about working in an urban school? • What do you think is the best way to deal with a child who demands more attention? • What is the best way to connect with parents of your students? • What was the process for you to become a teacher? • What made you decide to work in an urban setting? • How do you handle a parent that disagrees with your methods? • a) How do you get students engaged in their education? and b) How do you keep yourself motivated to teach?

Question 1 • What Made you decide to go into the educational field? • ~As a child, I struggled as a reader. The teachers that helped me overcome my difficulty also became the teachers that inspired me to be a teacher. I chose to become an educator because I feel passionately about working towards closing the opportunity gap that is plaguing our nation. I don’t ever remember wanting to do anything else. • ~I graduated college with a degree in Sociology. I couldn’t find a job in my field, and realized I missed working with kids (I had been a camp counselor previosly). I went back to school and got my teaching degree.

Question 2 • What type of school setting have you taught in? • ~I taught for 20.5 years. I was a preschool director (worked with children 3-5 years old) in a very “affluent” neighborhood. I taught in two different school districts that were very urban and more diversity than we have at Vista View (all-day Kindergarten, First Grade and Fourth Grade). I also taught in a very affluent school district (3rd Grade). Kelly Armstrong has taught at Laura Jeffrey Academy, Woodbury Middle School, South High School. Her first education job was as a therapist for a twelve district, twenty-five school cooperative district, then at a large, urban middle school teaching physical education and health. She also spent two years substituting- I kept track of where and what I taught: I taught in 21 different schools from preschool to high school with students in any curricular area. • ~I have taught in private schools, suburban schools, and inner city schools. Urban seems to be the best fit for me.

Question 3 • What is the most rewarding thing about working in an urban school? • ~The teachers and administrators all agree that the most rewarding thing about teaching in an urban school is that the diversity of the school is a great benefit for everyone and in this process we can all learn from each other, and about other cultures and backgrounds. • ~“The most rewarding thing for me as a teacher is seeing how excited the kids are to learn. This is their safe place, and I love seeing how happy they are to be here.”

Question 4 • What was the most challenging thing about working in an urban school? ~The challenges that these teachers and administrators face everyday working in an urban school are the situations outside of school that they can’t control. A student may not have a stable home life and this can make teaching very hard because of the baggage that they bring to school every day. If they are not safe and healthy it is difficult for them to learn and grow. ~Mrs.Swanson responded that students that demand attention are the most challenging to deal with, but sending them out of the room does them no good because they miss the lesson.

Question 5 • What do you think is the best way to deal with a child who demands more attention? • ~Best approach is to use kindness, firmness, and make it a fun place to be. Talk to them. Listen to them. Find out what is behind the need for attention. By being patient with the attention needs and by making the student a leader in the class, the need for attention can be addressed. • ~It’s about knowing the kid. Knowing when you can push them, and when saying no will set them off even more.

Question 6 • What is the best way to connect with the parents of your students? • By inviting parents to be volunteers, writing letters home, making phone calls, and attending meetings/conferences with parents. Encourage and support their parent involvement no matter how great or little it is. Ask them their preferred type of communication. Then call or email or whatever they prefer.

Question 7 • What was the process for you to become a teacher? • ~Teacher responded that she went to Century College, and then transferred to UW River Falls, ending her schooling journey with her Masters at Hamline University. • ~Administrator responded that she went to St. Cloud State and graduated with a Science Degree. She did her student teaching at Oltman.

Question 8 • What made you decide to work in an urban setting? • It’s where I could find a job. And my school happens to be my ideal school. . I didn’t deliberately choose to work at a school because it was an urban setting, but I am grateful because I love the kids at this school and I love my job. I want to give back to my community: a community that I feel was integral to my upbringing. I LOVE the diversity and knowing that truly I am helping to make a difference.

Question 9 • How do you handle a parent the disagrees with your methods? • I would find a time to meet with that parent. Respectfully, I would revisit the disagreement with them. I would revisit my own methods and ask them to revisit their own opinion. I would show the parents the research that supports my methodology, and hopefully we could find a conclusion to the problem together. Inform the parent that my method was made based on the information that I had at that time and that with new information I may change the way that I do things.

Question 10 • a) How do you get students engaged in their education? • b) How do you keep yourself motivated to teach? • By not teaching down to them, and giving them challenges and questions to consider that allow them to think deeply and form opinions. Secondly, students need to understand the relevancy of their education so that they can see a direct connection with what is taught to the impact on him or her. I have been up and down in the emotions of being a teacher/principal, but I know in my heart and mind, that this is truly what I am supposed to do. I was born to do this, so I will continue.

Teachers and Administrators